


I See You Swimming in the Sky

by unavoidablekoishi



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: ??? to ??? to lovers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Champions Survive AU, F/M, Heartbreak, LMAO, Revali Hates Sand, Romance, Sort Of, au where mipha finishes her sentence after ganon wakes up, but also will smack a bird bitch, but not for me, but not in the way that u think, call an ambulance, dont ask why the monk voice isnt around on eventide island ok, gettin hurt n being rescued, here we are boys, idk what the state of the shrines were before link woke up?, idk whats canon anymore, learning about each other, mipha and revali bitchfight a lot, mipha is so very pure, miphas like, oh sidon is gonna be baby in this, revali is probably gonna angst in this, so like just pretend it makes sense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 107,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24447976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unavoidablekoishi/pseuds/unavoidablekoishi
Summary: “So...when I rush into danger it’s frowned upon, but if you rush into danger that’s perfectly acceptable, is it?” She says this inoffensively- it’s not meant to be a jab, but a legitimate question, because this is what it seems to boil down to.“That’s...not what I meant.”She believes him.---Mipha is gentle- the kindest soul of her time.Revali is courageous- the pride of his village.It's not quite what either of them were looking for, but it's damn well what they're gonna get.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Mipha/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 268
Kudos: 377





	1. Worst Not-Vacation Ever...

The sky that stretches endlessly over Hyrule is painted a nice, peaceful blue. It’s cool and it’s calm, but soon to be overtaken by a sinister darkness, or so everyone seems to fear. Though Hyrule is currently basking in peace, that peace is merely a shell. A shell about to be breached by whatever is lurking within that desperately wants to break free. 

He’s more commonly referred to as Calamity Ganon, though ‘Abomination’, ‘Scourge of Hyrule’ and ‘General Pain in the Ass’ all work just the same.

Revali facetiously thinks this to himself as he soars through the deep blue expanse, eyeing his own faint shadow dancing fluidly over the lapping waves beneath him. It wasn’t very often he found himself leaving the shores of Hyrule, if ever at all, and though, whilst it was nice to take flight and explore the unknown, this was hardly a holiday for him. No, with Hyrule on the verge of being devastated by Calamity Ganon, now was probably the worst and least appropriate time to take a break.

In actuality, he’d been dispatched by Hyrule’s very own princess, Zelda.

Now, Revali would undoubtedly consider himself an invaluable asset to Zelda’s own force against Ganon. After all, he was a master of the sky. His skills in archery were unrivalled not only in the air, but on land as well. There was no reason he could concoct as to why the princess _wouldn’t_ have come seeking his aid. Had she overlooked him as a necessary component of her plan, he would’ve laughed.

Well, he would’ve proven her wrong first by taking the initiative and playing his own handmade role in Ganon’s demise. Then he would’ve laughed. 

He chuckles to himself, almost wistfully. Well, there was no chance of that now, but that was okay. Either way, he had much to prove and the perfect opportunity for it. Though he’d put on a show of umm-ing and ahh-ing about his decision to help in front of the princess, he’d mentally decided the moment she’d requested to speak with him. After all, it was his job as the ‘Pride of the Rito’ (definitely not self-proclaimed) to act not only as a representative of his people, but as a hero to them too. Sure, he’d been recruited to help save all of Hyrule, which was a nice little bonus, but he was fiercely defensive of his village, and should Ganon ever pose a threat to his home, Ganon would be finding himself at the mean end of several hundred arrows.

Revali’s a little too busy daydreaming about his soon-to-be victory- and perhaps a tad prematurely, too- to notice the force in the water beneath him that collides against the waves, splitting them apart like fine hairs and leaving a silky trail of seafoam and bubbles in its wake.

He was also too busy daydreaming to actually finish his previous thought on the topic of being dispatched across the sea by the princess. Now, as he was _saying,_ though he was unrivalled in archery and all the rest of it- and he would certainly not find himself unfit for any task whatsoever- he didn’t exactly appreciate the idea of his incredible skills to be wasted. Especially not on mindless errands. In fact, when the princess had suggested the very notion of her plan to him, he’d laughed aloud! Listen, princess, as much as your request for aid is respected and reciprocated, there were standards, here! You have to realise that, for such a mighty warrior, some missions were just beneath him! Time squandered on silly little errands was time that could’ve been used to hone the very attack that would bring Ganon to his knees. Could she not see that? So he’d laughed.

And then an elbow in the ribs had knocked the breath out of him, forcing him to begrudgingly accept her request. He’d huffed the whole way back to the village, now with the knowledge that his precious time was soon to be severely misspent. 

Still, she _was_ the princess, and he had to show _some_ kind of respect, though he’d easily call her use of time outside of praying to be slightly misguided. Shrines, indeed- and what would they do against Ganon? He shakes his head in disbelief.

He was travelling offshore to a small nearby island, though still within the kingdom of Hyrule, for a bloody shrine. He wouldn’t have believed it if he wasn’t actually _doing_ it; seeking out a potential spot for Sheikah technology by request of the princess herself. What a colossal waste of his time.

Though it does prompt him to think back to his own experience with these strange shrines. There was one right smack bang in the middle of his village, after all. However, he’d never been able to access it, but he knows if he were able, he would nail it with ease. Medoh’s trials, however, were what he was more familiar with. Trials only for those who would pilot the Divine Beast, and of course, who better and more suited to undertake those trials than him? Needless to say, he’d completed them without a single hitch, and probably in record time, too. However, perhaps there had been an unfair advantage. It seemed as if the trials had been catered to his strongest suits. It hadn’t posed much of a challenge.

He’d like to see Link take on those trials himself. See how well he fared. Not too great, he’d assume.

He laughs at the very thought of it, still ignorant to the abnormal rush of water just beneath him.

The faint shapes of Eventide Island were becoming more recognisable as they rode over the horizon towards him. It wasn’t the longest journey in the world, especially on wings, but it was bloody _warm._ Having lived in the colder, mountainous regions of Hyrule all his life, he wasn’t quite accustomed to the scorching heat of the south- especially not with his thick feathers. Feathers that were meant to retain heat, not resist it. Surely, she could’ve thought of someone else to come all the way out here for this?

Actually, no, that was the point. It was why she’d sought him out for this particular task to begin with. Travel by sea was easy to those who knew how, but it was time-consuming and resource-consuming too. Hence why she’d chosen someone who could make the journey there much more easily. He could travel virtually anywhere he’d like in the land the moment the idea popped into his head-- a perk of having wings that he generally enjoyed, along with having all the space of the air to himself. The idea of being confined to the ground fills him with a claustrophobic feeling that he doesn’t much care for- and being underwater is even worse. It doesn’t bear thinking about it, so he keeps his eyes off the sea and on his upcoming destination that’s looking more barren than he’d expected.

The island is small, confined by a thin sandy beach that winds its way around the overgrown grass and trees that obscure the details from above. Upon first inspection, Revali can’t immediately spy anything Sheikah-esque lying around, though after a few moments, he spots a protrusion of stone; the highest point of the island that's obscured slightly. What he can't see of it, he'll wager was definitely what he's looking for.

He’s tempted to just bolt straight over there and start the investigation straight away. After all, he _has_ the Sheikah Slate in his possession, and the sooner he can get this over with and get back to training, the better, but he gets a funny feeling that if he starts acting on his own, he may well find himself on the business end of one very particular trident.

So he lands. Smooth landing, same as always, though the intrusive feeling of sand between his talons sends an awful shudder up his spine. Snow was one thing, but sand was another. Snow could melt once you sat down by the fire, but sand would stay with you for weeks if you weren’t careful. The thought of getting sand caught up in his feathers is enough to make him physically sag, his expression pulled down, weighed by an unpleasant grimace. He silently reminds himself not to sit down at any point during this trip, lest he have to deal with something worse than wings full of those irritating grains. 

The sounds of splashing water and wet feet padding softly across the beach is enough to bring him to the decision that he had other matters to attend to. He shakes himself of the thought (and the sand) and turns to face the peaceful waves that stretch out towards Hyrule’s coast. The view is only partially blocked, however, by one very small and very prim Zora.

It might just be the angle he’s looking down at her, but it always seemed to him like Mipha was frowning slightly whenever she looked at him.

Her webbed hands are wrapped protectively around her Lightscale Trident as she quietly surveys what she can see of the beach. Of course, she hadn’t had the same birds-eye view that he’d had, even if most of what he’d seen were trees. 

The trident, much taller than her, glints and glitters magically in the light of the sun, casting small spots of light onto the sand beneath her shadow. The same can be said for her jewellery, which tinkles pleasantly and mixes with the soothing sounds of the lapping waves. 

He places his hands on his hips. 

“Well then, shall we make a start? The sooner I can get back to the Flight Range, the better, in my opinion.” He states loudly and clearly, but it’s not like he needs to. There’s nobody around to talk over for miles, and Mipha is hardly strong verbal competition in his eyes. Force of habit, maybe.

Mipha nods her head ever-so-slightly, “Of course. The princess will be wanting to know what we’ve found as soon as possible.” Her voice is as soft, melodious and unoffending as ever. It’s like listening to someone play words on a harp.

Revali spins on his heel and starts off towards the small but thick jungle-like overgrowth that’s taken up a good portion of the island, leaving Mipha to do not much else but follow him. She politely steps over a small crab that’s making its merry way down the beach and trots to keep up with the Rito.

One thing that Mipha has come to notice about Revali, over the few short moments she’d spent having to listen to him, was that he very much spoke with his hands. He always had to be moving in some way or another as he was talking, and it was almost as if he was performing, though for who, she wasn’t quite sure. 

So when he moved his hand to gesture to the wild foliage of the island, she could already foretell that he was about to speak, “From what I could see from above, there aren’t many obvious spots to explore, though I do suspect we may find something of interest on top of the cliff over there-- if you don’t object to a bit of climbing.” The last point is spoken almost facetiously, but Mipha can’t quite grasp why he might be joking.

“Of course not.” She says evenly, “I’m sure I can find my way up there.” 

“Good, good.” He smiles, before adding, “Though if you find yourself struggling, I’m sure I can take it upon myself to give you a lift.” He offers graciously with a flap of his wing, but very silently finishing with ‘at least, after you’ve dried off’ in his head.

“That’s very kind of you.” 

He should think so.

* * *

Revali has decided he doesn’t like this. 

He’s never really liked the idea of exploring such crowded and overgrown places. To him, nothing would ever really beat the vast expanse of the sky, where he had all the space in the world. Where he’d actually found himself managed to be the polar opposite to that in almost every aspect.

It was sickeningly warm, moist (though he could deal with being a little damp from the snow), overcrowded with trees, crawling with bugs, crawling with lizards, probably crawling with some other ghastly unidentified creatures that he wasn’t all too keen on discovering and there was _still fucking sand in his talons_. 

He silently thanks the Goddess that he hadn’t had to travel by water the way Mipha had. That was just asking for trouble. Mipha, on the other hand, didn’t seem as perturbed by the attack of the overgrowth. He’d half-expected the tiny princess to at least swat a bug away, or make some noise of protest, but there was nothing. Well, of course, why not-- she _was_ the Zora champion, after all. What were a few bugs to a champion?

An irritation, he bluntly thinks to himself, as he swats a particularly long, beetle-covered branch out of his way to reveal a decent sized clearing, occupied by several large, shoddy structures made out of driftwood. His brows furrow as he grits out, “Ah. Bokoblins.”

Mipha puts a dainty finger to her lips, “All the way out here?”

“They’ll infest anywhere there’s space for them.” He says, knowingly, “You’d think they’d have trouble getting up mountains, crossing seas-- but no, so long as they can make an active nuisance of themselves, they’ll be there.” His tone is flat and irritated, but the thought of shooting them full of arrows definitely uplifts his mood. So much so he cracks a barely noticeable smirk, unhooking his bow from its holster. Mipha, stood behind him, merely watches in intrigue.

“You’re going to attack?”

Revali surveys as much of the area as he can from where he’s stood, placing an arrow into his bow preemptively, “It’s best to take advantage of the fact they don’t know we’re here while we still can. Perhaps a sneak attack is more appropriate…” 

He pulls the string of his bow back with a barely audible stretching noise, trying to decide who the best target was. Whilst he definitely enjoyed any opportunity to flaunt his own impressive arsenal of attacks out in the open, there was always something satisfying about picking off a Bokoblin and watching its comrades run around attempting to figure out where it came from. Such moronic creatures.

He almost lets the arrow slip from his grasp when, unsuspectingly, Mipha places a small hand on his shoulder and whispers, “Hold on a moment. What is that?”

She’s not exactly giving him much to go on by words alone, but when she points, he can just about make out whatever it is she’s looking at. It’s small, it’s glowing and it’s a familiar shade of what he likes to call ‘Sheikah Orange’. It’s a disgustingly garish colour, in his eyes, but whatever it is, it’s right in the middle of the Bokoblin camp. Some use it is sitting there.

Revali relaxes the string of his bow for a moment, frowning, “What’re they doing with that? Stupid creatures will go after anything if it glows bright enough.” He grunts, now narrowing his options of a target down to the two Bokoblins standing atop the structure. If he was quick and quiet enough, he could probably swoop in, grab whatever it was and fly off before they even had a chance to blink, but he never really liked passing up the opportunity to use his skills.

Not that it ever needed thinking about, but it made enough sense that for one to truly hone a skill, to sharpen it to perfection, one had to get at least some sense of enjoyment out of it. However, he does wonder, would he get the same amount of enjoyment from archery if he were not as good as he was?

His breath hitches as the arrow snaps from his fingers, piercing through the warm and still air of the island, before making a happy home square between a Bokoblins eyes. The Bokoblin almost looks stunned by the sudden assault, deflating slightly, stumbling backwards before collapsing to the floor. The last thing it would ever do.

Revali emits a self-satisfied hum, as if thanking himself on a job well done. Mipha peers over his shoulder, intrigued. Though she’s about as familiar with Revali as she is the rest of the Champions, she was sure she hadn’t seen the height of his prowess just yet. She would never deny that he was an arrogant and overconfident individual- a trait she definitely wouldn’t look for in people she’d attempt to befriend- but she did hope that his cockiness was well-founded. After all, to have such a rigid sense of confidence in everything that he did, there must be _some_ truth behind it.

He stands up to his full height, towering well over the small princess, loading another arrow into the bow for the next attack. The way he looks down his beak at her, as condescending as it is, almost makes it look like he’s something to be revered.

When the word ‘revered’ enters her head as a lucid thought, Mipha fights back a small grimace. She considers him a respectable warrior- he was a Champion after all- but revered was a bit too far off the table. She shakes her head clean of the idea before Revali can note her expression and get the wrong idea- and if his overconfidence was anything to go by, it really _would_ be the wrong idea.

“Well...princess,” he almost seems to hesitate to call her princess, though she was one in her own right, “You’re more than welcome to join me in this assault- just try not to get blown away, will you?” There’s a cheeky twang to his voice that’s actually quite pleasant, if not for the words they carried. 

Mipha tilts her head slightly, brandishing her trident, “I can’t imagine you’ll need any help taking care of this, but I’m happy to assist you in any way that I can.” It’s not a lie. She’s more than happy to help, so she doesn’t quite know why she feels deceitful when speaking to him. It’s not like it was a crime to obscure personal feelings.

Revali continues, clueless to the active running commentary that was playing in Mipha’s head, and he shrugs with indifference, “I’ll take care of them, then. I won’t be a moment.” He finishes with a flamboyant flick of the wrist, and Mipha really can’t help but feel like it’s as if he’s acting on a stage. Was he like this by himself, too?

She finishes the thought just as he bolts from the spot he was standing in, faster than the blink of an eye and with no proof that he was ever there, other than the sudden gale that sends Mipha’s tiny frame reeling backwards. All she can see of him, obscured by the trees, is a dancing flash of navy blue.

So she waits for him to finish his little performance, still gripping tightly onto the Lightscale Trident, holding it defensively in front of her. He was right, though. He took very little time to get the job done, and by the time that Mipha finds herself creeping out from the overgrowth, peeking left and right to scope out the situation, he’s already perched upon the highest point of their camp, admiring his work.

She calls up to him, a webbed hand cupped around her mouth, “What was it?”

He blinks for a second, before remembering just what it was he was doing- he scans the area around himself quickly and an expression of discovery crosses his features. For a moment, all Mipha can see of him are his tail feathers peeking out from over the ledge of the platform, before he swings upright, clutching something round and orange close to his chest.

He hops down the steps to the ground, holding the object out and inspecting it from all angles, brows creased in perplexion. He hums to himself, “Well, it’s not like I haven’t seen one of these before…”

“Where does it go…?” Mipha puts a finger to her lips, gazing out at their foreign surroundings thoughtfully. “There’s no doubt it’s Sheikah technology.” 

Before she has a chance to hazard a guess, Revali emits a triumphant chirp, tucking the round object under his arm and gesturing with the grace of a swan, “Ah-- the stone peak I saw earlier! I’d wager whatever I saw up there is the answer.” Mipha can’t fault him, it’s a decent idea and she wouldn’t be at all surprised if that were the solution, but she could definitely do with a little less theatrics.

However, whether she’s aware of it or not, she’s a kind soul and actively does her best to be caring and accommodating for other people, so she smiles agreeably, “Of course. Let’s go.”

The stone peak isn’t too far away, especially not on an island this small, but it does mean a short walk. It also gives Revali ample time to chatter away, regardless of whether or not Mipha is listening.

“I know we were sent out merely for surface investigation, but I can’t imagine the princess will be too sour if we were to unearth the shrine for ourselves.” For someone who initially opposed the idea of investigating a shrine, he sure was putting effort and taking pride in what he was doing. Mipha suspects that’s just how the Rito are.

“Hm,” her eyes crease in thought, “Hold on a moment...if there’s a shrine hidden away on this island, shouldn’t the little sensor on the slate be going off? I’m sure that’s what the princess used to find the shrines around the castle.” It’s an innocent thought, but the slight darkening of his features is something of a surprise.

“Oh. That. I turned that off.” He says, bluntly, trying to find something within the vicinity to stare at that wasn’t Mipha’s perplexed expression. 

“What? Why?”

He sighs, shifting the orb around in his hands-- or was wings more appropriate? Mipha can’t quite decide. Whatever it was he was doing, it was pretty sheepish-looking in her opinion. He looks a little bit like Sidon, whenever he’d accidentally broken something he wasn’t supposed to and was making an awful attempt at hiding it.

“It was making an awful racket the whole flight here. I’m well aware that there are plenty of shrines undiscovered on the mainland, but that doesn’t mean they have to make a nuisance of themselves whilst I’m trying to fly.” His tone is something of indignance, but his body language is something Mipha recognises as...almost petulant. Guess he wasn’t too happy about being called out on that one.

“Well…” Mipha gazes up to try and get a glimpse of their destination, but it’s difficult with so many trees in the way, “We know that it’s here on this island. We don’t need a sensor to tell us that,” She smiles pleasantly up at him, “It’s not as if we have a huge stretch of land to search. The island was actually smaller than what I was expecting.”

“Yes, that’s what I thought, too.”

Nice deflection, she thinks.

Revali continues leading the journey towards the stone peak, and just as before, it’s nothing but intrusive branches, zealous little lizards and more bloody sand (on the dirt, too! Revali had honestly hoped he’d be able to spend most of the afternoon on dry dirt without the worry of sand bothering him, but no-- he wasn’t even allowed that much!) and that goes on for a good distance until they reach a point where dirt turns to stone and dips down into a small valley. Both Revali and Mipha are about to step courageously out into the open until something freezes them dead in their tracks. Their thought processes are in sync, like a perfect harmony, but their reactions are...not so much.

“Oh my--!!”

“Oh, for the love of--”

Mipha stands stiffly where she had frozen, trident held very firmly in front of her as if she were trying to hide behind it. Revali’s face is obscured by his wing, which he’s very heavily (and very quietly) sighing into. He shakes his head, moving his hand so his eyes are peeking out to stare out at the valley with irritation.

Mipha grits her teeth slightly, tilting her head to mouth up at her companion, “That’s…” she says, inaudibly, “That’s a Hinox…”

“That’s a Hinox.” He repeats.

Now, it’s not like two Champions can’t take down a Hinox together but Revali knows by now, with every Hinox he’s had to face, that they’re always more resilient than he expects them to be. Thick-skinned, he thinks, and it’s not like his arrows are useless. If anything, attacking from a distance is the best option for it, but it just wasn’t as effective as a close-combat attack.

That meant a long, drawn-out and ultimately very irritating fight was just lying there on the ground, sleeping soundly. Revali’s brow twitches with slight agitation- for such a colossal nuisance, it sure was having a nice time napping in the midday sun. It almost makes him bitter.

“Oh, it’s-- it’s asleep! I’m sure we can avoid waking it if we’re quiet and careful.” Mipha nods, mostly to herself, with newfound hope and determination and whilst Revali finds this little display to be actually quite endearing, he’s resigned to shaking his head.

“Guess again, princess.”

He extends an arm out, a simple action that suddenly feels like the loudest sound in the world, to point over at one very particular point of the Hinox. Mipha has to stand on her very tiptoes to see what Revali is seeing and when she spots it, her heart makes a nice and steady descent down her chest.

Mirroring the small orb in their possession, is one hanging loosely from around the Hinox’s neck, as if the problem it presents itself as does not exist whatsoever. How peaceful it must be, having no idea just how much of a nuisance you are to other people, Revali thinks, in a twist of the most dramatic irony possible.

“There’s another one of them?” Mipha can’t hide the dismay in her voice and she’s just about to let her mind fret over just what to do now when her eyes fall upon the Sheikah Slate resting neatly on Revali’s hip. Her eyes light up.

“Perhaps we don’t have to at all! A surface investigation, as you said-- let’s just take some pictures using the Sheikah Slate and show them to the princess! She _did_ say she wanted us to capture a few...it’s not the end of the world if we don’t uncover the shrine today.” She unhooks the slate and holds it up, tapping away at the screen with the pads of her fingertips in an attempt to unlock the picture function, though she was still a little unfamiliar with the controls of it. “We can always come back better prepared next time.”

Revali folds his arms, shifting his weight onto one side as he huffs, “It’s just a Hinox. I could take it down right now, if I liked.” He reminds her sharply. Mipha pauses tapping and looks up at him with narrowed eyes, “You didn’t sound very prepared for it a moment ago.” 

The speed at which his eyes shoot open and his cheeks puff up is borderline comical. He looks as if Mipha had just reached out and pulled at his tail feathers. Nonetheless, she maintains a straight face, pointedly ignoring his reaction by turning away to line up the slate with a good shot of the sleeping Hinox. Her finger lowers to capture the scene before her but as the slate clicks, the screen is nothing but a still of shocking navy blue.

Mipha blinks at it vacantly. Then, the metaphorical rupee drops and so does her mouth in a wordless cry of protest. Revali, who had been standing no less than a few feet away from her, was now shooting through the air towards the not-so-sleeping Hinox. She hurriedly hooks the slate onto whatever part of her attire that it would fit to and brandishes her own weapon. There was no way they were actually prepared for this, surely the Rito knew that.

Still, if the Hinox caught sight of her now, it would ruin the opportunity for a shocking surprise attack that would definitely play to their advantage. So she waits, concealed under a palm tree and waiting for the right time to strike. 

However, keeping up with Revali is a task she hadn’t tackled before and it was already proving to be a challenge. He darts around so erratically that it’s almost impossible to predict what his next move will be. Mipha silently hopes he’ll get a hint and create an opening for her to strike, but by the way things were playing out, that didn’t seem like it was going to be the plan. Luckily, the Hinox hadn’t spied her yet, so she was safe for now.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t quite be said for Revali. It seems as if the Hinox had grasped the fact that he wasn’t about to come down to its level and face it head on anytime soon, so it’d resorted to picking up thick chunks of rock and hurling them into the sky. 

Mipha figures that rocks, since they were large and heavy, would be a lot slower than any other projectile, and would therefore be easier for Revali to dodge, and, yes, perhaps that _would_ be the case, but the Hinox isn’t throwing just one rock after another into the sky. It’s actually tossing several all at once, and the way it sprays out and crumbles makes it more of a challenge.

Knowing him, though, he’d never back down from a challenge, even against his better judgement. Watching him swerve around the flying rocks is putting Mipha _incredibly_ on edge, and every time he gets a just a _little_ too close, her heart stops. At this rate, she thinks Revali will kill her before the Hinox does, and the thought prickles with irritation until she realises that, actually, the Hinox will kill _Revali_ before Revali can kill her because he’s suddenly plummeting through the sky, leaving a spluttering trail of blood in his wake, and by the time Mipha puts two and two together, she fears she’s too late.

Her legs are heavy, brought down with invisible iron weights as she stumbles through the valley, as quick and as quiet as she can be, and whilst the Hinox is preoccupied with what it hopes to be dinner, the sharpened points of Mipha’s trident pierces through the air, stabbing the Hinox from below. 

It’s not quite a life-threatening blow, and to a Hinox, probably not much more than a wasp sting, but it’s enough of a distraction to let Mipha slide in and retrieve Revali from the jaws of danger. She’s not exactly a pillar of strength, but the Rito are fairly lightweight as a species, so hoisting Revali as far as she can over her back and scampering away is doable, though tricky with the trident on her person as well.

Nonetheless, it’s not the sort of problem that would stop her, so she manages to slip away from the Hinox’s sight and back through the overgrowth before it comes to attack again. As much as she’d love to stop and catch a breath, she decides not to risk it and continues an unsteady journey back the way they came and back towards the beach. The further away from the Hinox, the better, in her opinion- at least until she’d assessed the damage.

Suddenly, the annoyances of the journey there didn’t seem quite so problematic as they were before. Hightail lizards were barely noticed, the sting of spiked branches and jagged nettles didn’t even register, and any bugs either of them might’ve accidentally swallowed would have to be worried about later. The adrenaline is still very much in full effect, but once Mipha feels the soft, soothing sand beneath her webbed feet, she emits a long sigh of relief, searching for somewhere appropriate to prop Revali up.

Under the shade of a palm tree is the best option for now, and as she does her best to maneuver his body there, the exhaustion from what just happened begins to settle in. Her shoulders ache horribly, her back stings, and the cuts and scrapes sustained are beginning to burn uncomfortably. It also doesn’t help that it’s getting very warm out, either. She knows they’ll both overheat if she doesn’t do something soon, so in her mind, it puts her at a bit of a time limit.

But, for now, she relaxes. Revali leans against the tree, looking around groggily at his surroundings, talons shifting uncomfortably against the sand. Mipha sets her trident on the ground, rubbing away the persistent ache in her left shoulder before getting to work. Her job wasn’t done yet, especially as a healer.

She reaches her hand out to him, and when her fingertips brush the askew feathers on the side of his face, he jerks back defensively, rubbing his hand roughly where her touch still lingered. She frowns, noting the blood staining the spot above his eye, watching it dribble down to the side of his mouth. His attempt to wipe it away just makes the blood spread further, not only across the rest of his face but over his wing, too. 

“Move your hand, please. Let me heal you.”

“It’s fine. It’s not serious.”

His low reply only serves to deepen Mipha’s frown as she attempts to reach out to him again, only to be swatted away. “I think I should be the judge of that.” She replies, sharply, hoping that he’ll get the message that, medically, she’s the more experienced out of the two of them. Well, who was she kidding- of _course_ he knows that, he just doesn’t want to listen. 

“It’s a head injury,” she points out, when he doesn’t say anything, “It’s dangerous to let something like that go untreated. It won’t take long.” She’s really trying to sell it to him, bless her, but he’s as stubborn as they come, and as much as she appreciates a good stubborn streak, she does wish this wasn’t her first experience with this facet of his personality.

He’s cradling the afflicted area and doing his best to make it look like that’s _not_ what he’s doing, but he can’t hide that from Mipha’s eyes. He hates to admit it, but he feels utterly humiliated by this situation. 

See, when he says he can do something, it’s usually followed up by him doing that thing- not by being hit with a flying fucking rock. What a pathetic way to be injured-- and after he specifically said he could take it down! He’s severely bruised at the moment, and not just on his head.

“I’ve never seen them do _that_ before,” he mumbles, which is an outrageous lie, even for him, and a poor recovery that doesn’t help his wounded ego.

“Well,” Mipha begins to chide, “I did suggest we back off and come back when we were more prepared for it, but no. If we’d formulated some kind of plan between the two of us, that would’ve been miles better than you rushing in by yourself, you know.” She does feel a bit bad saying that- it’s not like she wants to pile onto someone who’s already dealing with an awful head injury, but the fear and the exhaustion has drained from her body, and now the frustration of the situation is kicking in. She can’t help but feel so irritated when this could’ve been easily avoided!

Revali huffs, making a point of turning away from Mipha whilst she’s trying to worm her way in to do a bit of healing. “I just got unlucky,” he reasons, “This really doesn’t happen, you know. I could deal with the Hinox outside my village with my eyes closed.” Again, a bit of an exaggeration that did nothing for his ego or the situation at hand.

“Well, this isn’t the Hinox outside your village…” Mipha bristles, trying to slide her hands under his wing, “Please- will you let me heal you? You’re still bleeding.” She hopes he’ll listen to reason. After all, he can’t be the big-shot hero he always talks about being if he’s dead- and she can’t cure death.

“I said I’m fine!” He snappily insists, wiping the blood away again, “It’ll stop soon. I’ll just wash it off in a minute.”

Well, fine then.

Mipha stands up, hastily wiping the sand from the backs of her legs. She makes sure the Sheikah Slate is reliably secured to her hip, before bending down to retrieve her trident. Revali shifts his hand a fraction to watch her with confusion. Her expression is pouty, but anyone who’s familiar with Mipha will know a pout isn’t to be taken lightly.

So, frustrated by the situation, frustrated by the lead-up _to_ the situation and frustrated by Revali in general, Mipha begins to walk away. That’s fine. Stubborn people had to know just when to get over themselves, so if Revali was so hellbent on refusing her help, then she wouldn't bother. Let’s see how far he’ll get.

Revali opens his mouth to ask, but nothing comes out. Mipha, tilting her head so merely a fraction of her face is visible to him, says firmly, “Fine, then. I offered you my help, but you refused. I’m going to return to the castle to give the princess the Sheikah Slate back- then I’m going home. You’re free to do whatever you like.”

With that as the final word, she skips swiftly across the sand before diving gracefully into the cool, shimmering water and disappearing from sight. The only evidence of her that remains are the popping bubbles left in her wake.

Revali stares. He watches her leave and then closes his mouth, seeing as there isn’t really much to say anymore. So she was just going to leave him behind? Just leave like that? Well, that was fine, it’s not like he’s insulted by this at all. If anything, he’d actually prefer being left alone, but when the burning liquid dripping from his eyebrow begins to stain his neck and shoulder, showing no signs of stopping, he begins to curl in on himself.

No matter how well he could hide it, it still hurt. His head throbs painfully, interspersed with the scalding sensation of an open wound that stains his fingers. His vision is still shaky, too. The sight of the seashore before him seems to keep drifting up to the left-hand corner, creating an unsettling set of false images and removing his depth perception entirely. He plants a hand onto the uneven sand to give him some sense of what was up and what was down. 

He’s not quite sure what to feel.

He could try flying back, but with the blood in his eyes and the straining ache in his head, he’s not sure he’ll be able to make it back to the village. On top of that, he’s very sure he’s sustained some injuries to his legs and right wing, too, which serves to worsen the already fucking abysmal situation he’s in. He groans lowly, grasping at the sand that does nothing but escape through his fingers. It provides very little stress relief.

Revali isn’t one to admit that he’s wrong, especially to other people, but just this time around he thinks he shouldn’t have pushed Mipha so far. He’d never actually expected her to just _leave,_ but... when he thinks harder on it, just what else was she going to do? It wasn’t like she was just going to keep pestering him until he either gave in or the wound healed by itself. She, like him, was busy with her own life and her own commitments. As kind a healer as she was, she didn’t have all the time in the world to wait for him to accept her help.

He rests his head back against the tree. That was fine. He dug this hole- he’ll accept that- so it was his own responsibility to get back out of it. He won’t blame Mipha for leaving. That just meant he had to suss out what the best plan of action was that would get him back to the village _without_ permanent brain damage.

But...the sun was so hot. He didn’t think it could get hotter, and now that he isn’t flying through the air and feeling the cool wind on his wings- nor was he able to gain altitude and fly at chillier heights- the small patch of shade offered by the palm tree was his only comfort.

He strains himself to look around. He’d lost his bow.

Strangely enough, that’s the part that makes him the angriest. His bow- probably broken by now, he wouldn’t be surprised- was still in the domain of the Hinox, and as he was now, there was no way he was venturing out to get it. 

He pats his side, feeling for the sheathed Feathered Edge he sometimes equipped. Best not to have just one weapon on your person exactly for reasons like this. Great news that he wasn’t _entirely_ undefended, but anyone who had spoken to Revali for longer than thirty seconds would know the significance of the Great Eagle Bow. His most prized weapon and where all of his offensive skills lay.

From the position his head is resting against the tree trunk, Revali can see up into the leaves and the little bits of blue he can make out of the sky beyond that. 

...it was his own fault, really.

He cringes.

He cringes _really_ hard.

Why had he been so standoffish? He really wishes Mipha hadn’t just witnessed that little-- whatever that moment had been, but it’s not like he can erase it from her mind. She’d remember that one forever and now, so would he. On top of that, he’d cast away the best healer he knew, leaving him with an injury he couldn’t fix by himself.

Speaking of the injury, it’d actually somehow managed to escape his mind for a moment until the edges of his vision began to grow dark and he realised he was on the verge of falling unconscious. Blacking out was never a fun experience- it was actually quite scary- but, being afflicted with a serious injury, it brings him to wonder if he’ll ever actually wake up again.

He’s too exhausted to panic. Falling asleep seemed like a much nicer idea. 


	2. Fireside

Through the eternal darkness just behind the eyelids, a vague sensation of feeling and existing begins to wake up Revali’s mind. The consciousness flickers for a moment, recognising the sensation of his head (still aching) lying flat on the sand and when the realisation hits, Revali bolts upright, as if being pulled out of water.

The pounding in his head momentarily blinds him. He runs his fingers down his face in an attempt to smother some of the pain, emitting a harsh breath as he comes to his surroundings. Though, for a second, it seemed bright...it’s already dark?

He looks around himself, lamely. It’s not like him to look so disoriented but he can’t really help it. The sand around him feels stone cold, save for the portions that are lit up by the small campfire sizzling next to him. The appearance of the fire is pretty concerning, seeing as he’s only woken up, but he’ll get to that in a moment. He’s surprised he woke up at all though, to his dismay, he’s still on the island.

The night is a lot colder than it had been during the day. It actually serves to soothe his awful headache but the burning sensation that covered his brow is now gone. His wing and leg doesn’t feel as bad as it had before but there was still some recovering to be done.

He looks around and squints. Over the flickering flames and through the wavy haze of heat, he can make out Mipha’s soft features. They’re lit up by the light of the fire, casting pleasant round lines over her cheeks. She doesn’t seem to be paying attention to him, despite his sudden awakening.

He pauses for a moment, waiting to see if she’ll react. The sand is uncomfortable under his legs but it’s cold and relaxing so there was the silver lining, he supposes. He shifts around to sit up properly, shimmying so his tail feathers would splay out comfortably behind him. 

She doesn’t appear to be...visibly irritated with him, which he finds perplexing. He’s left to make the first move, since it appears that she won’t.

“You...what’re you doing here?”

Mipha’s eyes move, but her head doesn’t. She stares at him intensely, as if trying to work her gaze through the heat of the flames. 

“I never left.”

His mouth opens to speak but his brain isn’t fast enough to concoct a suitable response so there’s a moment where he just looks wordless. 

“But...you left earlier- you said you were going back to the--”

“I lied.”

A remarkable thing to hear from her, and in that same soft voice of hers. She speaks so plainly it’s like there was nothing wrong at all.

“I just went for a swim around the island.”

It...answers very little of the question he was trying to ask. He holds out a hand, indicating her with his finger, though there was very little need to do so, “You said you were going home, though. Why are you here?” He doesn’t appreciate being lied to but he’s more confused than anything else.

“You wouldn’t let me help you, even though you needed it. I will admit, I was... _ tempted  _ to return home alone but I couldn’t leave you behind by yourself and I never planned to do so. It’s just not right. That is why I waited for you to pass out.” She replies, simply, prodding the fire with a stick. The embers crackle and crumble, falling apart across the sand. She flicks them back towards the safety of the fire.

Revali isn’t too sure what to say.

“...why?”

Mipha’s expression slowly becomes a frown, though not angry. “What do you mean ‘why’? I just told you. You were hurt- you needed help but, for whatever reason, refused it. So I waited for a chance where you wouldn’t be able to refuse.” Describing it like that made it sound far shadier than it actually was. Revali shakes his head.

“No, that’s not what I...I mean, why- after I…” he pauses, grimacing slightly at the memory of his own behaviour, “...after all of  _ that _ ,” he finally settles on saying, accompanied with a dismissive wave of the hand, “why come back at all? I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d just left. After all, you shouldn’t keep the princess waiting.”

That last point is one Mipha finds funny. Revali has never really seemed very worried about the state of the princess and she’s sure that he knows that  _ she  _ knows, as convoluted as that sounded. Why go to the trouble of using the princess as an excuse?

“Well...what do you think the princess would’ve said if I had returned without you? If I had told her I’d left you stranded on this island with a Hinox and an injury that you cannot heal by yourself- exactly what do you think it is she would’ve said?”

She poses the question seriously because, well, she’s right-- the princess, regardless of their relationship, would not have permitted Mipha to abandon Revali in his time of need, whether he’d refused or not. After all, the Champions were important pieces in the plot to defeat Ganon and she desperately needed them alive. Not only that but he was also a citizen of her kingdom. Champion or not, she would’ve definitely looked down on the idea of leaving him in such a manner. Mipha very much liked her kind nature in that way and didn’t want to let her down in such a selfish manner.

Revali looks away because he knows the answer. He knows the princess wouldn’t have stood for something like that and, now that this is what the situation had turned out to be, he knows Mipha would never abandon someone in such a fashion- even if they had asked her to. He was an idiot for ever thinking she would’ve to begin with. 

He...doesn’t know what to say.

He could deflect it and talk about the princess instead. He could play it off like he was fine and didn’t feel worried about the situation. He could even just swallow the very bitter pill that was his pride and apologise to her outright but resenting the situation as it stood made it very difficult for him to do that. He wasn’t a person who said ‘sorry’ a lot. Even when he could admit to doing wrong there was just something that made it so much more difficult than it would do for anyone else.

But, as he’s staring off into the distance and trying to figure out what to say, his eyes fall on a familiar shape nestled comfortably in the stone-cold sand. His mouth falls open for a moment and, before he realises it, he’s found his answer.

“Is that my bow?”

Mipha’s head tilts fractionally, enough for her to glance over at the Great Eagle Bow, “Yes. It wasn’t broken, like I thought it had been. I recovered it when I went back to the Hinox.”

Surprise isn’t an expression that’s very clearly displayed on a Rito face but even Mipha notices Revali’s eyes are wider than normal. He plants his hands back into the sand, straightening out his spine, “You went  _ back?!  _ What in the world for?!”

“I went back to see if the Hinox had fallen asleep. Not only did we leave your bow behind, but the orb as well so I managed to grab them both. I didn’t go back there to fight it again.” Mipha says and quite sensibly, too. She would be lying, however, if she’d said that she hadn’t been scared. One run-in with a Hinox was enough for a whole week, let alone twice in one day. Luck had been on her side, though, and the Hinox had merely gone back to slumbering on the uncomfortable, gravelled ground of the valley.

“Still--” he sputters, still reeling from the news of her audacious move, “You could’ve been hurt! If a Hinox ate you, it probably wouldn’t even need to chew- and I wouldn’t have been around to help you!” Though his left wing is still unfit for flight, he’s gone back to being very active with his hands which must mean that, to some degree, he’s feeling a bit better. 

Now, Mipha finds this to also be  _ very  _ strange. It’s a strange thing for him to say, regarding their circumstances and, whilst she’s not the provocative type, it’s something that she’s curious enough to touch on. 

“So...when I rush into danger it’s frowned upon but if  _ you  _ rush into danger that’s perfectly acceptable, is it?” She says this inoffensively- it’s not meant to be a jab but a legitimate question because this is what it seems to boil down to. 

“That’s...not what I meant.”

She believes him.

Mipha sits back on her hands, placing the stick she’d previously been using to poke the fire with to the side. His words held an astounding amount of hypocrisy but not in a way that angered or frustrated her. Actually, no, perhaps it  _ was  _ a bit frustrating but not enough to make her flounce off for a vent swim around the island (and she was well-known for her patience, too).

She’s not one to hold a grudge. She knows Revali is like this and she knows his intentions aren’t malicious in any way- just incredibly obstructive and occasionally poorly thought out. That’s why she sits forward, placing her hands in her lap, and smiles at him through the haze of the campfire.

“Thank you for your concern. I appreciate it, but I was careful, so it didn’t see me.”

Revali, tilting his head to the side, eyes her as if he’s trying to get a good gauge of something she’s not telling him. He emits a breath laced with amused exasperation, like an adult would do with a child, “Of course, I don’t expect you’re the reckless type, are you?”

“I try not to be.”

“Well, it’s not as if we’re staying here long enough to run into it again.” Revali is relieved that the conversation has flowed onto something easier to talk about. He’s surprisingly good at small talk and Mipha, being in the position of royalty that she is, no doubt has her experience with it, too. So long as they don’t have to refer to that earlier moment of madness again, he thinks he’ll be just fine.

“That being said,” Revali begins to rub at his left shoulder, rolling his arm around in circles in an attempt to stretch out the lingering ache left behind from his earlier injury, “I suppose we really  _ should  _ be returning soon. I’m sure whatever was up on that peak can be investigated next time.”

Mipha knows exactly where this is going. The way he’s shifting-- no, he’s  _ fidgeting  _ because he’s eager to be up and about; he’s ready to get going right now. That’s the implication here and she’s been expecting this all night. Of course, she doesn’t enjoy breaking unfortunate news but she has no choice. Still, she finds his eager attitude to be one of the pleasant sides to him.

“Revali,” she smiles, knowingly, “we can’t move as we are now. Your wing is still damaged. If you fly in the condition you’re in now, you will only damage it further. We will stay until tomorrow.” 

It seems that he’s already considered that answer a possibility but he still droops slightly where he’s sat. It seems the pain in his arm isn’t dispelling as he’d hoped it would, so he’s resigned to resting it in his lap, looking just a tad depressed. 

“Ah,” he says, “I see. Well…”

He pauses for a moment, before returning to speech with a more Revali-esque amount of energy, “Well-- I won’t keep you here, then. Don’t feel like you have to stay here on my account.” He accompanies this with a gracious gesture of his not-battered arm, as if he’s doing her a service by offering this. In a way, he kind of is.

Mipha merely shakes her head, “No, it’s alright. I don’t like leaving my patients until they’ve fully healed. I plan on returning with you back to the mainland, if that’s alright.”

Of course, that’s more than alright because it’s the kindest course of action. How could he refuse a sweet gesture like that after she’d gone to genuine trouble to heal his wounds? He feels like he might actually be insulting her if he tries to blow her off again.

“If you’re sure,” he shrugs, like it’s her loss.

Mipha merely titters, adjusting her seating position to banish the discomfort in her knees, “Well, I was wondering, are you hungry at all? I do keep seeing a school of porgy swimming around over there and I was going to go fishing. If you want some, too, I’ll make sure to catch extra.”

With a smile like hers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to say no. Revali already feels as if he’s accepted enough help from her for one lifetime so he does sit on that thought for a moment. Mipha pulls herself up with a very small huff, patting the sand behind her to feel for the shaft of her trident, “I won’t be long.” 

Revali doesn’t really have a choice now, however a familiar small, prickly bush sporting lots of little red berries catches his eye from over near the grass. The cogs are evidently turning in his head. The distant sounds of Mipha splashing into the water pass by.

He gets up. It’s painful, it’s slow and it’s so full of sand he thinks he might actually scream out loud. He brushes as much of the sand from his legs, wings and tail feathers as he can manage before tentatively taking a few steps around the campfire.

Alright, not as bad as he’d initially thought. He wonders if Mipha overplays these kinds of things, just to be on the safe side; she was something of a worrier, he’d found. If he had his way, he’d be flying home right now but he’s probably upset Mipha enough for one day. 

The plant he’d spotted earlier, to his delight, had turned out to be a chilli plant. It was one of those plants that he’d initially thought only grew in the colder climates of his home region but, no, they really did seem to grow everywhere. That was perfect, though. This meant he had a plan to help solve his earlier predicament.

Whilst he picks a sizeable amount of peppers, Mipha is almost done fishing, having got the drop on a nearby school of fish and managing to skewer most of them in one fell swoop. She allows them to neatly float on the surface of the near-freezing water until she is done (she doesn’t think putting them on the sand is a very wise idea).

For a while, the atmosphere is surprisingly peaceful. It’s almost as if the Hinox incident had occurred years and not hours ago. Night has fallen completely, revealing a mass of glittering constellations that span the whole sky above them. Though the temperature has dropped harshly, both companions are more resilient to the cold than most, so it doesn’t prove to be much of a bother. Mipha finds the cold liquid rippling around her waist to be comforting, like a small reminder of home. 

Revali isn’t having such a nice time, though. As nice as it was to be healed up and in cooler temperatures that didn’t threaten an enjoyable bout of heatstroke, he was still covered in sand and he thinks if any more lizards keep getting under his feet like this he’s just going to stand on them. 

As he glares down at a particularly feisty lizard clambering fearlessly over his left foot, he spots some acorns scattered amongst the thick grass. Palm trees weren’t the only type of tree to populate this island but it’s not like he had all the time in the world to admire the scenery. Still, it only served to add towards his own little idea and the slight boost in a positive attitude it provided prompted him to mercifully shake the lizard off instead of squashing it.

So, with wings full of peppers and acorns- not much of a meal by itself, he’ll admit- he returns back to the campfire with a head full of ideas. 

Mipha appears to have made short work of the fish and now she’s deftly skewering them on the most usable looking sticks she could find. He thinks it’s a little uncharacteristic to watch her utilise survival skills, being royalty and all, but it’s not as if he’s overly familiar with the customs of the Zora. Maybe she did this on a daily basis- who knows?

As she’s about to pitch the sticks next to the fire, Revali, setting his own hand-picked rations down on the palm leaves Mipha had acquired to use as a barrier against the mortal enemy that was sand, holds out a wing to stop her.

“Allow me.”

She doesn’t say anything. She’s not sure there’s anything  _ to  _ say, so instead she watches him with mild intrigue. Conversely, she didn’t think he seemed like the survivalist type either but her knowledge of Rito customs is limited at best so she just settles for observing.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Revali’s tone is smug, as he begins picking the stems from the peppers and with greater dexterity than she was expecting, “You don’t think I’m the cooking type, do you?”

Mipha flushes slightly. How awkward- had she been that obvious? She hadn’t intended to come off as rude in any way, it just struck her as...odd. Odd for him, perhaps, seeing as she had yet to see him in his own environment. Her silence only serves to support his claim and, to her surprise, he laughs.

She’d never heard him laugh before. Much in the way he spoke, it was unique. It was overwhelmingly... _ him _ , she thinks. 

Initially, she’d suspected that he was the high-strung type. The no-nonsense, serious personality that often came with those who, above all else, strived to hit heights thought unreachable- and it’s not as if she’s  _ wrong _ . He is high-strung and he’s very absorbed in the things he does (and himself, by extension) but she’s beginning to see little glimmers of the person behind the Champion and it’s certainly...new.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he continues speaking, “I hadn’t pinned  _ you  _ for the cooking type either- after all, you are a princess in your own right. I don’t expect princesses to do much of their own cooking.”

Mipha pulls a face. Though he’s wrong in this context, she supposes she can see the basis of that claim. 

“However, in my culture- though cooking and eating is something of a communal activity- it’s very important to be able to cook for yourself.” He speaks like he’s giving a lecture and, in a way, he kind of is, since Mipha is actually learning something from this but, again, with the theatrics. 

She wonders if he ever, like...gets tired. Like at all.

As the fish roast comfortably against the fire, though Revali had pitched the sticks a little further back than Mipha had been intending to, he’s deftly slicing the peppers up with his own close-combat weapon. Now that she’s actually watching him do this, and the way he talks and works at the same time, it definitely suggests that actually he was much more accustomed to this than she had ever been expecting.

“You know,” Mipha says shyly, “that isn’t too much of a leap from what we do back in my home. I suppose cooking and eating is communal- families will always eat together. I cook for my father and my younger brother, so I do enjoy it.” 

Revali gestures silently for her to pass her another palm leaf, which she does so. He wraps it around a fish and slides a few pieces of chilli underneath it, before pitching it back next to the fire. He’s doing his best to get it to sit as horizontal as it can without it falling right into the flames so it’s not going to be perfect, he’ll admit.

“Well, you see, when you say ‘communal’ you’re talking about families. However, in my village, ‘communal’ really does mean everyone.” He looks up at her and his eyes seem to glint in the light of the fire. “Though your domain is quite large, my village is only small and with a lot less people. It’s why we’re a lot more close-knit than other villages.” 

The theatrics have stopped now, as he’s very preoccupied with crushing acorns under the blunt of his knife and, though Mipha had originally preferred  _ less  _ dramatics, hearing him talk without his normal pomp was actually kind of...strange. It made him appear less like the most revered warrior in all of the Rito Village and more...normal.

What a strange thing to think, Mipha thinks to herself. She scratches the back of her head, pondering the absurdity of her own idea. He really wasn’t normal, was he? Was he normal for a Rito? She’d only met a few of them during her lifetime so it probably wasn’t enough to make for an accurate measurement.

“Ah, of course,” Mipha nods, “Your village is quite small, isn’t it? Though I’m not sure I’ve ever been there myself,” though she’s happy to admit she’s very curious. Perhaps, after all this Ganon nonsense was nipped in the bud, she would go and visit.

“I don’t believe we’ve had any visits from Zora royalty in my lifetime, no.” Revali piles together the acorns he’d crushed up onto a leaf, moving to check the fish. There are now four of them sizzling over the fire and he thinks they might just be about done. “But, in comparison to other places, yes, it is quite cozy.”

He pries one of the fish from its stick and it appears it’s already been gutted by Mipha, to his surprise. He hadn’t even seen her do it, or where she threw the guts to, but he’s not about to start whatever moral debate there was to be had about Zora eating fish so he doesn’t think too hard on it. Makes his job easier, anyhow.

He begins the repetitive task of filling each fish with the remaining slices of pepper and acorns, before placing two of them on a palm leaf and offering it out to Mipha over the fire. Mipha looks momentarily surprised, seeing how quick he had been, but gratefully takes it and marvels over the job well done.

“My...it looks delicious. Thank you.” She smiles, hopefully conveying the depths of her gratitude and also hoping all the awkwardness from earlier had now been put behind them (though really it was more Revali’s responsibility than hers.)

“I should think so- it’s a traditional Rito dish!” He’s too busy gesticulating to actually eat, which she finds mildly amusing, but as he speaks, she takes a bite out of the fish. It’s still bubbling and scorching hot, so she has to work her mouth around it as politely as she can so it’s cool enough to swallow and...it’s very hot.

And not hot as in temperature- hot as in  _ spicy _ .

Which sort of went without saying- he  _ did  _ put chilli peppers in there. What was she expecting? However, she wasn’t exactly accustomed to very spicy food so it still takes her by surprise. She covers her mouth with her hand, feeling her cheeks burn and her eyes tear up slightly. It’s not unbearable, per se, but it’s going to take her some time to actually eat this dish.

Revali laughs.

It seems as if he’d been holding out on eating his own food just for the pleasure of watching Mipha eat hers. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he’d predicted this would happen from the start. How evil of him! She frowns, though not unpleasantly.

“Please forgive me, princess,” he chuckles, evidently not sorry at  _ all _ , “I’ll admit, I do forget you Zora aren’t quite as familiar with spicy food.”

Mipha coughs and somehow it just makes it worse. She emits a small pained sound, taking a very ambitious bite out of the fish again in an attempt to acclimate to the tingling sensation on her tongue. Again, it wasn’t unpleasant, as such, but very foreign to her.

“Hey, there’s no need to force yourself.” Revali smiles, pointing to the other fish sitting innocently on the palm leaf resting on Mipha’s lap, “I didn’t put peppers in the other one because I had a feeling this might happen.”

Mipha drops her head gratefully, but says, “It’s okay, it’s not….it isn’t that bad. It’s very delicious though, thank you.” She’s not lying- through the spice, the taste is wonderful, especially with the acorns. 

Revali leans back on one hand, using the other one to eat the fish with but he’s still laughing, “You don’t sound sincere at all! Well, it’s no bother. Since you...healed me, I suppose it’s only fair I do something too.” That last point is spoken very quietly- almost suspiciously so and Mipha might not’ve heard it if she weren’t sat so close to him. 

Ah...so  _ that  _ had been his plan the whole time. His offer to cook for them both was a kind gesture indeed but only now does she realise it was actually more of his way of an apology than anything else. He wasn’t doing it  _ just  _ to be nice. 

He was trying to say sorry for what had happened earlier.

And, to Mipha, that made the meal all the more tasty.

* * *

The idea of the sky above Hyrule one day being ruled by Ganon is a thought Mipha finds to be absurd. Even though life continues as normal, the threat of darkness is always looming somewhere and Mipha is unsure how she’s supposed to live normally until then. She has confidence in the princess and in the other Champions and in Link too- of course, she’d always have the utmost faith in Link- but...it all seemed far too real. The thought of victory seemed too good to be true.

The fish is all gone. Mipha had actually managed to finish off what was politely cooked for her and the improvement in atmosphere had made it all the more enjoyable for both of them. 

The fire is low, now, too. It’s nothing but embers that flicker and crackle in the darkness of the beach. The sand is so cold beneath her it almost feels wet as she sifts her hands through it absentmindedly, watching the way the dregs of the fire sizzle whenever Revali pokes it with a stick.

Every now and then, she’ll look back up at the sky to marvel at the stars. It’s a thing she’ll never grow tired of, she thinks; not even when she’s old. However, the way she’s observing the little sparkles in the sky reminds her too much of her dear brother. It prompts her to wonder if, maybe, he’s looking up at the same sight as she is.

Well, she thinks, he shouldn’t be because he should be in bed by this hour. It was far too late for him to be up.

Chiding him in her head- the thought makes her giggle aloud. Revali looks up from the fire questioningly.

Her voice remains quiet to match the tranquil state of the island, but it’s heard even through the rush of the sea and the rustle of the leaves.

“Sorry,” she smiles, “I was just thinking about my little brother. He should be at home asleep by now- he loves to look at stars. I was just thinking, he’d love a view like this.” As if to emphasise her point, she looks up at the mass of twinkling lights spread over them like a comforting, starry blanket. Revali takes one glance at the sky and then returns to the fire.

“I think you’ve mentioned him before.”

“I must’ve, yes. His name is Sidon.” She beams, “He’s a very sweet little boy. Perhaps a little bit of a troublemaker too, but I love him with all my heart.” Her webbed hands clasp together over her chest and she looks around the space she’s sitting in, “I wonder if I should bring him something back from here as a little gift.”

“That would make him the prince of your people, no?” Revali sets aside the stick, now content with the dying fire. He shifts over to rest comfortably against the palm tree behind him; the one he was so sure he’d die sitting against. He supposes it’s a good twist of fate.

“That’s right. I suppose he has a lot to live up to with that title. I do worry about him sometimes but I’m sure he will be just fine.” Mipha gets to her feet, brushing off some excess grains of sand, before padding a short distance away to where the grass meets the beach.

Revali folds his arms, staring vacantly at the space in front of him, “Prince Sidon…” he murmurs to himself, “Now that does ring a bell. I’m sure I’ve heard that name somewhere before. No surprise, I suppose.” 

He doesn’t get a response. Though he planned on resting his eyes for a moment, there’s a vague rustling noise coming somewhere from his left side and-- what in the world is she doing now? It was a bit late for anything else, he thinks. He’s surprised she isn’t tired out by this hour. 

He cracks open an eye to check on her but, with no danger to be found, she’s already returned to the nearly burnt out fire-pit with handfuls of long, dry strands of grass. That was certainly curious, for the princess.

She sets the yellowed grass down next to her and plucks one strand out, beginning to straighten it. Revali doesn’t ask what she’s doing. He doesn’t  _ particularly  _ care, but he figures there’s no harm in waiting to see what the outcome will be. He’s not in a rush to be anywhere else, that’s for sure.

“Do you have any siblings?” 

It’s not a question he expected, that’s for sure. He figures she’s probably just trying to fill the silence. Still…

“No.”

“What about the rest of your family?”

“Not here.”

The flat tone of his answer is enough for her. Enough for tonight, she thinks. 

Maybe this topic will be breachable one day if their relationship ever grew beyond this. Maybe one day. Just not today.

She begins to set out a few more strands, holding the ends of them between her knees and, after a few minutes, he’s finally getting some sort of an idea. Was she trying to braid the strands together? What in the world for?

He tilts his head, perplexed, but remains silent as the Zora princess deftly entwines the strands to create a thin, patterned chain. She doesn’t plait them in a way he’s familiar with. Rito have specific methods for braiding their own hair (feathers, really) but this isn’t one of them. He supposes it makes sense but what would a Zora need to know how to braid for? It’s not like they have hair.

After a while, his curiosity decides to break the silence, “What’s that for?”

Mipha can barely conceal her smile, “It’s for Sidon. I thought I could make him a little bracelet as a souvenir.” She ties the ends of the strands together and then knots both ends to make a dainty little grass bracelet which she holds up for Revali to see. However, it’s so dark that Revali can’t make out much detail other than the shape. He goes back to resting his eyes.

“Very nice,” he says, plainly. Mipha can tell he doesn’t much care but that’s okay. It’s got nothing to do with him, anyway. Nonetheless, she hopes Sidon will like what she made him. She’s starting to miss his chubby little face already- she hadn’t even been gone that long either but perhaps those were the woes of being an adoring big sister.

She sets the bracelet aside next to the fire-pit and, in doing so, feels her eyelids growing heavy. When she blinks, she can feel the exhaustion from a long day setting in like an irritating dryness. She gently rubs at the inner corner of her eye with a single finger, pulling herself up to her knees.

“I think maybe I should get a bit of sleep now. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be retiring for the night. Thank you very much for cooking.” She gets to her feet, bows slightly in a polite, Zora gesture of thanks and turns to head towards the water. Ah, that’s right, Revali thinks; the Zora slept in water, didn’t they? Well, that was fine, so long as she didn’t get swept out to sea.

“Yes, yes,” he says dismissively, “Sleep well, princess.”

As Mipha quietly treads into the cold water, she turns back for a last glance at Revali, who is comfortably propped up against the tree trunk, looking very close to dozing off already. How remarkably peaceful he looked in comparison to how she’d seen him earlier.

She looks around for a comfortable place to sleep where the tide won’t take her out to sea (not the nicest way to wake up, she thinks) and begins to make herself comfortable. The gentle waves, shining with the light of the moon above, envelop her like a duvet. Before she knows it, she’s already drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the time mipha wakes up she's already beached on lurelin village lmao


	3. Idle Conversation

Eventide Island seems to look like a totally different place in the day, as opposed to the night. Even though the entire stretch of land is deserted (debatably), the breeze through the trees and the crabs traversing the beach give the impression that it’s as bustling and busy as the Kara Kara Bazaar. 

The sun is well over the horizon by the time Mipha wakes up. The relaxing, warm oranges and pinks of an early sunrise are long gone by the time a washed-up crab begins to bother her jewellery. She’s awoken by a persistent clicking and jangling noise right next to her ear which isn’t really much different from being awoken by Sidon at home. She moves a hand out of the water to rub at her eyes, looking around blearily. 

The crab, disapproving of her movements, clicks at her angrily, snapping its claws around the fascinating bits of sparkly silver adorning her body.

“Oh.” Mipha has to cross her eyes slightly just to be able to focus in on the little shelled creature, “Please don’t do that.”

She flicks it away gently, sitting up and planting a hand in the wet sand beneath her to keep herself upright in an effort to wake herself up a bit. The crab, now very unhappy with the situation and the loss of mesmerising jingly metals and, by extension, its interest, scuttles away back under the sand.

She looks around. The sun was a lot higher up in the sky than it was when she normally woke up. The day before must’ve taken a lot more out of her than she’d expected. She didn’t even remember falling asleep to begin with.

The morning sunshine is pleasant, casting a bright, cheerful light on the treetops and the small shells half-buried away in the sand like tiny treasures. Mipha adjusts her jewellery where it had been disturbed by the crab and gets up; the water splashes around her.

It’s...bright. Blinding, even. Mipha attempts to rub away the unpleasant sensation hiding just behind the eyes, straining to see through the rays of harsh sunlight. 

To her surprise, Revali is still snoozing against the palm tree. She’d suspected he was the early-bird type but it’s not as if these circumstances were normal. He must’ve still been exhausted and such a recovery would require a moderate amount of rest. 

She plods along the beach, sand staining the soles of her feet, quiet enough not to disturb her sleeping companion. The fire-pit is now just a mass of black ash, surrounded by leftover sticks and leaves. There was no real need to rekindle it but she can’t help but notice her stomach is feeling pretty empty, leaving her wondering whether it was worth eating now or waiting until she returned home.

She looks over to Revali, still sleeping soundly. Observing him like this, he was actually quite sweet in his own right. He was a lot more tolerable, she finds, the quieter he was but there was something distinctly endearing about seeing him in such a fashion. She’s very sure his wing should be okay to fly home now but she vows to later remind him not to put too much strain on it just yet.

She purses her lips.

Well...seeing as he was asleep, was there any real need to wake him just yet? After all, he  _ had  _ been badly injured and now she knew just how defensive and irate he would become under those circumstances, she needed to give him as much aid as she could without him actively realising it. 

Still, for the life of her, she just can’t understand why he would refuse her help in such a manner. She figures he could be on the brink of death and still keep her at arms length but for what? Was he so desperate to maintain this illusion of strength and stability, even when weakened? Did he just not understand how detrimental that was? Though she doesn’t quite know the reason behind it, she feels sorry for him. It was a dangerous compulsion that would most likely get him killed, she thinks- and not just him, but others around him, if he wasn’t careful.

She sighs. That was still something remarkably foreign to her.  _ He  _ was remarkably foreign to her. Whether she’ll ever get the chance to learn what really goes on in his head, she doesn’t know, but perhaps it might prove to be an beneficial endeavour. She  _ is  _ a healer, after all. It’s in her nature to want to pursue things that might need a little helping hand. Even if she can’t assess the problem, she’s always had something of a sixth sense for these things.

Mipha thinks back to the meal she’d eaten the night before. Looking between Revali, the demolished campfire and the huge expanse of the ocean surrounding them, she’s invigorated with a little burst of determination. There’s a willingness to her step and good intentions in her eyes. It’s one of the things that makes her a pleasure to observe.

* * *

The sun hangs in the sky, now a shocking bright blue that floats above Hyrule’s horizon. Though the heat is gradually growing, spending time in the water takes the edge off a little bit. 

It’s times like these, when Mipha is accompanied by nothing but her own thoughts, does she begin to think about Link.

She thinks about what he could be doing now, whether or not he’s enjoying the pleasant sunshine too. Well, there’s no doubt he’s still glued to Zelda’s side, as always. 

Honestly, she couldn’t be more proud of him. She means that, too- being assigned as the personal knight for the princess herself is such an incredible honour and one he is more than deserving of. That’s why Mipha would never be lying if she said there was no other person in Hyrule more fit for the position than Link. She’d watched him as a child, she’d seen his budding skills with a sword, impressive enough for his young age and they would only grow and flourish as he grew older. The princess could not be in safer hands, in her opinion.

_ However… _

...she  _ might  _ be lying just a little bit if she said she was absolutely fine with it. She knows it’s a childish way to think and she would never say it aloud and even though her respect for the princess is virtually never ending...she can’t help but feel just the tiniest bit jealous.

Childish as it is, she has no shame in admitting it to herself. That’s sometimes just how things were. Feelings, real emotions, were hard to understand and often hard to avoid and sometimes the best and most rational way to deal with them was first to accept them as they were. She nods to herself, thinking that. 

…

But, damn, if it wasn’t just the tiniest bit frustrating. She’s aware of how negatively Zelda had felt towards Link up until very recently but it doesn’t serve to reassure her. There’s just a part of her that grows stone cold whenever she spots them together. Whether it’s out looking for shrines, out on official royal business or discussing plans with the other Champions-- he stuck to her like a limpet and, yes, that was his job but it still made her feel cold and isolated. It made her feel so far away from him, even though they could only just be a few metres, and there was just no way to reach out.

Perhaps letting her mind wander to him sometimes put a damper on her mood but that was alright, too. After all, still waiting at home in the domain was a gift for him she’d made with her very own hands. The thought of the armour she’d crafted puts a smile on her face.

She’d made sure to treat every inch of it with extra care so not only would it be high quality but Link would be able to utilise its abilities to its full extent. Of course, it was  _ more  _ than just armour- it was effectively a proposal- but knowing it was something that would aid Link in his own endeavours made her cheeks flush with pride.

As her mind wanders, her hands move by themselves. The familiar slick of metal underneath her fingertips is something she doesn’t need to think about anymore. Several porgy meet their fate at the sharp end of her trident. Seaweed is gracefully plucked from under the water, where it danced rhythmically against the tide. Mipha hums a tune to herself, passed down through generations upon generations of Zora.

A serenade, they called it. One day, she knows she’ll sing it for Link, too. 

She returns to the sandy shores of the island in a shockingly good mood. The seawater, creating a bright sheen over her arms and legs, make damp spots on the sand where she walks and her jewellery sparkles under the sunlight.

Hoping he wouldn’t mind  _ terribly, _ Mipha gracefully takes up Revali’s knife, placed in the sand where he’d been cooking the night before. She could use her own sharpened nails but that was a little bit barbaric, even for an island so out of the way. It wasn’t as if they were shipwrecked.

Her fingers move swiftly, preparing the fish and tossing aside the unnecessary, slightly grim parts into the black of the campfire. She thinks about what Sidon’s been up to this morning, too. The grass bracelet made for him with her own hands sits where she’d left it the night before, undisturbed. She can already picture his little beaming face in her mind. It’s enough to make her grin to herself.

As she's preparing fish, she absentmindedly wonders what Sidon had for breakfast. 

Placing the fish on the leftover palm leaves, she begins to gracefully fillet the flesh and slice it into sizeable chunks. The seaweed is drying slightly under the heat of the sunlight. Out of the corner of her eye, Mipha watches an adventurous crab who is lingering suspiciously nearby, sensing food. The crabs in this area sure could be obnoxious, as could the rest of the local wildlife. 

Hands now slightly slimy, but with perfectly cut fresh, raw fish, Mipha sits back on her heels and silently congratulates herself on a job well done. She's arranging the seaweed alongside it, playing to the small creative streak that she had, but is suddenly startled by Revali who seems to have materialised in front of her from out of nowhere. 

His expression is mildly bewildered. He's definitely just woken up. 

He looks down at the array of fish and seaweed he assumes Mipha's prepared, but he's not entirely sure what to make of it. 

"Is that my knife…?" 

Mipha cringes inwardly. Perhaps using his knife without permission had been the wrong way to go. It  _ was  _ Revali, after all. She's not the least bit surprised; she bows her head slightly. 

"Oh, I apologise. I didn't have a sharp tool on hand- I hope you don't mind too much." Her expression is still bright, however, as she gestures to her newest culinary work of art, "I took the liberty of making something for us to eat for breakfast." 

Revali still looks a bit perplexed by it all. Mipha does her best to wipe any visible chunks of fish from the knife, before handing it back to him by the blade. He appears to pause before taking the weapon. 

"I doubt there was any need," he begins, "We're not staying for much longer, you know. After all, the princess will be waiting for us and we've  _ already  _ kept her waiting by staying here for the night." It sort of sounds like he's lecturing her but she can't imagine why. 

Still, the pleasant weather seemed to be a reflection of Mipha's good mood. 

"Actually, I really appreciate your efforts last night. Since you went out of your way to cook me a dish from your home village…" she puts a finger to her lips shyly, "I…thought I'd prepare you a traditional dish from mine." 

Revali blinks. He hadn't quite been expecting there to be much thought behind the gesture other than Mipha fulfilling some kind of obligation. He supposes he was wrong and, though he stands by his words, he can accept that this is indeed a very kind thing for her to do. 

So he sits. He still needs to perk up a little bit more before he was all set to go- waking up so late in the morning was a shock to his system for sure. 

Brushing some stray feathers on his face back into place, he notes the empty campfire beside them, "You're not cooking it?" 

Mipha smiles, "No. This is a dish we eat raw. Don't worry, though, I caught these fish not even an hour ago. They're perfectly safe to eat." 

Revali rolls his eyes, "Yes, I know that. It was just a query. Seems very minimalist if you ask me." 

Mipha offers him a leaf, which he takes. "Actually, we sometimes add things like seeds or sauces but minimalism is the point of it. It's meant to be a simple dish but it's the presentation, you see? It’s being able to have a very beautiful dish with very few ingredients." She takes a slice of fish for herself, slipping it into her mouth and silently marvelling at the taste. Fresh fish was the best. 

Revali raises an eyebrow, but doesn't speak around his own mouthful of food. 

"There are lots of different ways to cut fish for the purposes of presentation. I went for the simplest one I could, however. We don't have all the time in the world." Mipha forgets how hungry fishing makes her and does her utmost not to scarf the whole thing down right then. She had plenty of appearances to keep up, especially in front of another Champion, but she's a natural stickler for good manners anyway. Nonetheless, it's still delicious. 

Revali has yet to say anything but Mipha assumes he's enjoying it. He  _ was  _ eating it so, if that was anything to go by, it was probably just fine. 

“On special occasions- festivals and such- we have this dish and it is always such a sight to behold. Salmon is the best for it but it isn’t exactly native to where we live.” Mipha isn’t sure why she’s still talking- it’s not like she’s a chatterbox but there’s a special feeling of pride for her home deep in her heart that she likes to share with people who would listen. Still, not to make the conversation feel one-sided, she tacks on, “Salmon is more your region of Hyrule, isn’t it?”

A conversation about fish doesn’t exactly make for the most thrilling dialogue in the world, she thinks and she’s very sure Revali is thinking something similar, too.

“They like the colder temperatures,” Revali speaks after swallowing his food and Mipha notes that, despite not looking visibly interested in what she’d made, he’d actually caned most of it in the short amount of time she’d been talking. “Most of the ponds around my village have salmon. I suppose it makes fishing for it easier, rather than making the trek into the mountains.”

Mipha nods, “I hear traversing the snow is something of a struggle.” 

Setting the empty leaf down-- when had he finished the rest of his food? It seems like it’d just disappeared into thin air! Mipha watches him carefully. Ah, well, so long as he’d enjoyed it and it didn’t go to waste…

“For you, perhaps it would be, but not for us.” Revali smirks, stretching out his wings preemptively in preparation for flight. “Not that we  _ need  _ to be walking around when we can just fly. Of course, it’s almost impossible when the snowstorms hit, but what idiot is going to be wandering around in the midst of a blizzard? We know better than to go waltzing off into the mountains when the snow is heavy.” He momentarily puts a finger to the very end of his beak, “Though the harshest storms only really hit the deeper mountains and it’s not like we have any real reason to be flying that way. Only stupid travellers end up all the way out there.” He laughs with condescension. Mipha blinks.

“I must admit, your region is still very foreign to me. I’ve only ever seen a little bit of snow up on the hills during the winter but it doesn’t seem to land where we are.” Mipha politely places her leaf down, though it’s not like it belongs to anybody. “It’s a shame, I think. Snow seems to look so beautiful.”

“Of course you’d think that,” Revali gets to his feet, dusting himself of irritating particles, “But you have no idea how much of a nuisance snow can be- especially when it’s heavy. I suppose it’s all pretty and nice to look at but, once the novelty wears off and it’s up to your neck, you’ll think again.” He warns her and Mipha suddenly gets a very absurd, clear visual in her mind of being quite literally up to the neck in snow. Yes, she can concede that it might prove to be very unpleasant. However, it was still beautifully ethereal to look at, especially for someone whose interactions with snow were limited.

By the time she realises she’s zoned out into a snow-filled wonderland of a daydream, Revali is already walking off towards the sea, holding his wings out to get a feel for the air. Mipha looks between him and the soon-to-be abandoned camp they’d made for the night.

The orange orb they’d found yesterday is still sitting snugly in the sand, next to a bow-shaped divot. Mipha knows she needs to make a move and hurry after Revali, lest he leave her behind, so she places the orb beneath the palm tree, burying it partially under the sand so it would stay put. Whoever the princess would send to this island next would be back here shortly, so Mipha figures she’d leave it where it would be easy to find.

And who knows- perhaps it would be her. That would, no doubt, make it even easier.

With the sand being kicked up around her feet, she has to hurriedly backtrack to pick up the bracelet almost forgotten by the fire-pit. She also very neatly scoops the leftover leaves, sticks and other bits of ash into one pile. Sure, this island didn’t exactly belong to anyone but the king, but it didn’t hurt to leave things more or less how you found them.

With a sudden gust of wind almost toppling her over, and a sharp shout from Revali, Mipha races across the beach, grabbing the trident propped up in the sand on the way, and into the water, holding the little bracelet tightly in her hand. The water splashes up around her figure, before becoming bubbles and foam and soon, disappearing altogether.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Revali hums pleasantly, now in an exceedingly good mood. The soothing chill of the high-altitude breeze causes him to emit a long, much-needed sigh. What an absolute pain in the ass the last day had been! If only he’d known just what he was in for 24 hours ago, he would’ve stopped right in his tracks, done a 180 and pissed off right back home! Hinox, indeed.

…

Well, okay, after returning home he would’ve stocked up on some bomb arrows, a personal favourite from his arsenal, and  _ then  _ set out, ready to give that Hinox a piece of his mind  _ and  _ his bow. Maybe then he would’ve been at less risk of performing the most spectacular cock-up right in front of his fellow Champion. 

He’ll admit, he feels grateful that it had just been Mipha. If Urbosa had been the one to witness that display, her lightning would’ve cooked him quicker than a Cucco up Death Mountain. 

Or Link! Hylia forbid, if Link had seen that, he would’ve let the Hinox kill him outright. There was no recovering from that whatsoever- not to mention, if he’d been caught out by a Hinox with Link around, he was as good as dead anyway. As if Link could match up to something like that, even with that special little sword of his. Mipha had done well to escape but Link had such a stubborn streak in him, noticeable even without words, that his stubborn streak probably had a stubborn streak of its own. That would’ve just resulted in getting them both killed and where would the world be then? 

Hah. They’d have no chance without him, he thinks.

Chuckling to himself, his eyes fall down onto the shores of mainland Hyrule and he spies Mipha, clambering up onto dry land. Her crimson-coloured body glistens in the harsh sunlight as she manoeuvres her trident into a comfortable position. Such a big, cumbersome weapon for such a tiny Zora- and she  _ was  _ tiny by Zora standards.

...then again, he wasn’t exactly tall by Rito standards, either, so he certainly couldn’t talk.

He considers descending slightly and tailing her all the way back to the castle. After all, this was a joint mission and if he turned up on the palace doorstep by himself- and without the Sheikah Slate to boot- he gets a funny feeling Zelda won’t be all too pleased with him.

And then there was the moral debt of Mipha going out of her way to stay behind with him so, yes, perhaps he did kind of owe her  _ that  _ much. However, once he’d given her enough to sufficiently clear the debt, she was on her own. 

Well, saying that, it wasn’t like she couldn’t handle herself. 

And no sooner does the thought cross his mind, before he spies several colourful blurs shooting at top speed towards Mipha, standing alone on the beach. Perfect. Just what they needed. Even though he’s quite high up, he can recognise those erratic movement patterns from anywhere, but had those Lizalfos been camping there the day before?

He hoists the bow out from the holster on his back before allowing his body to fall freely through the sky. The harsh gale from below cuts through his feathers- his braids trail loosely behind as his talons reach for a grip on his weapon. There were only four of them- that was just fine. He was in dire need of a poor, unwitting foe to vent his pent up frustration upon and this would do just nicely, he thinks, as he plucks arrows- three at a time- from his quiver.

Mipha, standing below with her trident at the ready, spots Revali hurtling down from above, weapon at the ready. It was a small relief, she decides, as it would’ve been a much bigger hassle if he’d flown off ahead. Still, this was no time for pondering- with a flick of her trident and a sudden stabbing motion, one of the Lizalfos topples off backwards into the sand. Its companions watch gormlessly as their leader sustains damage, as if wondering what to do, before jumping into more offensive stances and stalking towards Mipha.

Now, by no stretch of the margin is Mipha ‘weak’. Her spearmanship is world-renowned and her reputation as a healer even greater than that, so realistically, a few Lizalfos is something that she can handle by herself. Sure, without a companion to help her, it would take a bit more time but it’s in no way impossible. She’s had plenty of practice with it; sparring against some of the Zora guards (much to their panic, seeing as fighting their very own princess head on is dead last on a list of things they want to do in life). Not to mention, she is, in her own right, the defender of her home. Champion of the Zora, she’s the best of the best at what she does.

However, Mipha’s fighting tactic isn’t quite offensive; at least, not as head-on as, say, Link or Revali. It’s more like an offensive defense in which she patiently waits for the enemy to move before counter-striking with incredible precision each time. Revali, on the other hand, is very much the impatient type, which is why he’s circling overhead, frowning as he waits for the most beneficial time to strike. It was becoming increasingly difficult to lock on to a good target as they were all in very close combat- usually unusual for Lizalfos, since they tended to jump between distances.

Nonetheless, he draws his bow. Mipha’s trident flies out, piercing through the coastal sea breeze and through the slim gap in the Lizalfos armour. The Lizalfos emits an ear-splitting screech and a spurt of odd-coloured blood splatters across the sand. Revali lets the string of the bow snap, taking three well-crafted arrows along for the ride. Mipha twirls the trident with the grace of a butterfly, cutting another foe down swifter than slicing through a blade of grass.

The short second in which she turns her head, Mipha’s breath hitches and disappears entirely as a slight movement grazes the side of her face. The remaining Lizalfos behind her collapses uselessly to the floor in a crumpled heap along with the rest of its comrades. Mipha takes a moment to let her heart descend from her throat back into her chest, where it was meant to be. A ragged breath manages to escape her lips as she steadies herself with her trident. The sound of feathers hitting sand is barely heard a short distance away.

That had been an arrow. Though the thought wasn’t coherent, something in her brain wordlessly informed her that she’d almost been hit by one of Revali’s arrows and it had shocked her entire body like a live wire. Her hands quiver slightly but she shakes a bit of feeling back into them as Revali approaches.

“Huh-- you know, I didn’t see them camping here yesterday.” He reiterates his earlier thought, absentmindedly scratching the side of his face, “What a pain they can be. Unlucky for them that they ran into us, though.” His tone is cheerful and, for a reason she can’t immediately describe (but is about to make a good go of it) she feels a very foreign spike of irritation. It’s blisteringly hot in comparison to the ice cold shock from just a minute ago.

“Please don’t do that again! Revali, you almost hit me!”

She’s still panting slightly. Revali looks distinctly taken aback by the sudden outburst but he soon frowns, “Excuse me? I did no such thing!”

“I could actually feel it here,” she runs a finger down her cheek where she swears she can still feel the graze of the arrow, “I’m sorry but that was far too close for my liking.” She doesn’t realise she’d actually been squaring up to him until she allows her shoulders to relax. Her aches and pains from the day before are beginning to flare up again, she knows it.

Revali’s expression is suddenly indignant- almost downright insulted, “Well, I  _ apologise  _ princess, but do you really think that I’d be so careless as to let you get caught in crossfire? I was well aware of where I was aiming, thank you  _ very  _ much! Or is it that you’d much rather be skewered by some brainless lizards? Forgive me for my assistance.”

He spins on his heel, arms folded petulantly as he stalks away, preparing to take off and perhaps more in the mind to actually fly on ahead this time. Mipha sighs but an unusual and uncharacteristic frown is set into her eyes.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t belittle me.” She says firmly, “Whilst I’m sure it was not your intention, please understand that you frightened me terribly just then.” She’s not asking him to apologise, she thinks. All she wants is for him to understand that perhaps that shot had been a little more risky than the rest but...that was probably asking too much, wasn’t it? 

He doesn’t say anything, but the way he lifts his wings indicates he’s about to rocket himself into the air and fly off. It’s not the most satisfying end to a little dispute but Mipha, not wanting to be ignored here, calls out, “Just please be more careful next time!”

He’s already in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha: square up you feathery bitch


	4. Have a Little Faith

Zelda tilts the screen of the Sheikah Slate back and forth, inspecting the admittedly very few photographs that Mipha had managed to take whilst on Eventide Island. She’s open-mouthed but her expression is hard to gauge as she squints, taking in every detail she can.

“We did find one of those ball-objects that have been appearing near shrines, so I do not doubt that there is one on the island. We just…” Mipha and Revali, stood side by side in front of the princess, glance awkwardly at one another, “...we just weren’t able to find where it was.” 

Zelda lowers the slate, “Because of the Hinox?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Mipha catches Revali turning his head away and a barely audible scoff accompanies it. 

“Yes. It...gave us both a little more trouble than we were prepared for-- but it’s no problem. We know now what we’re going into, so we know what to expect.” Mipha says brightly, hoping this assessment would give the princess more faith in the situation. 

Zelda frowns, lines of concern etched into her forehead, “If I had known there was a Hinox living there…” she laments quietly, “Did you get hurt?”

“No.”

Revali is far too quick to answer. Mipha side-eyes him. The slight hiccup from earlier still hasn’t been resolved, nor has it blown over, making the situation a touch tenser than it really needed to be. Zelda, notorious for getting engrossed in her work, does not seem to notice. She believes them when they say they didn’t get hurt, luckily enough for Revali.

He pointedly looks away from Mipha but the feathers on his back bristle slightly at the exact spot she’s staring at him and he gets an odd chill up his spine, as if her gaze could physically reach out and pinch him. He knows damn well if he risked a peek at her expression, it would be very dark indeed.

“We are both fine.” Mipha states firmly- perhaps a little  _ too  _ firmly and Revali is still staring off in the other direction, clearly finding something incredibly interesting about the cracks of the castle’s walls. Zelda nods, switching off the Sheikah Slate and attaching it securely to her own hip.

“Thank you both so much for investigating this for me,” Zelda clasps her hands, placing them against her chest as an expression of her feelings of gratitude, “I apologise- honestly, if I had known the island would be such a danger…”

Mipha watches politely, wearing a small encouraging smile, as she waits for Zelda to find the right words. Zelda seems to physically shake off the negativity, “I will make a decision on what to do next in the coming days, but what you’ve done has been incredibly helpful. Hopefully, we’ll be able to uncover the shrine that’s hiding there soon.” She finishes off the thought with a graceful smile, truly an honour to see on the face of the princess herself. 

As per tradition, when addressing a member of the royal family (though it’s sort of inconsequential now, considering how informal the Champions have grown to be around Zelda) Mipha and Revali offer a respectful bow and excuse themselves, turning to leave.

Their footsteps echo quietly as they cross through the corridor and towards the castle entrance. Though, it’s not really an echo...it’s more like quiet slapping of small Zora feet and the barely audible chink of talons hitting stone. Either way, it’s all either of them can hear and it really only serves to make the situation suffocating. It’s stifling and Mipha can feel she has the urge to break the silence and say something but...what does she have to say? There’s nothing to say that she hadn’t already said earlier.

Revali evidently wasn’t planning on saying anything either, which was kind of typical of him. 

She supposes she can’t blame him. It hadn’t taken long for her to cotton on to his aversion to acknowledging his own failures but she suspects, even now, that there is more to it than meets the eye. Of course, that bad habit of his tended to make relations with the other Champions strained at best and downright painful at worst but it wasn’t the end of the world, really.

Unless those prickly parts of the relationship managed to impact their work in the clash against Ganon, in which case, it really  _ would  _ be the end of the world.

Sometimes, Mipha tries not to think too hard about what was effectively the battle against impending doom but...alright, she’ll concede- relationships were important and being able to work together as Champions was imperative so if, for the sake of the future, she had to be the one to initiate a reconciliation with possibly the most arrogant man alive then she would.

She glances up at him- his gaze is firmly fixed forward but he’s clearly thinking about something else. She does tend to wonder what goes on in the mind of someone like him but his expression read absolutely nothing. She can’t decide whether or not he’s pondering the meaning of life itself or wondering what to eat for dinner later. It could be both.

Setting her mouth in a firm line, but heart in the right place, she reaches out to him slowly and ever so gently taps him on the back of the arm. For a moment, she thinks he might not even feel it through the thick navy coloured feathers but his head noticeably twitches. He pauses, before craning to look down at her.

His eyes very bluntly ask ‘what do you want?’

Mipha can almost feel herself shrinking where she stands and she’s not sure why. She isn’t exactly intimidated by him but...damn it if he wasn’t unbelievably unapproachable sometimes. 

“About...earlier…” She can feel the regret slipping from her tongue along with the words she speaks and even though his reaction doesn’t physically change, she can almost sense it somewhere inside him. The two of them have stopped in the corridor now. Mipha shuffles back and forth, holding her trident close to her frame.

“Please don’t mistake me,” she says quietly, “I am not angry. I don’t intend to hold onto it like a grudge so perhaps it is better for both of us to forget it happened.”

It’s not really the perfect outcome for her. Her desired outcome would probably be for him to at least acknowledge what she says rather than just take off into the sky in a huff but she doesn’t know him well enough to know what’s going to happen if she presses his buttons in the wrong order. Perhaps that was part of getting to truly know somebody.

Does...she even really want to get to know him? The thought crosses her mind when the corridor is bathed in a sombre silence.

Finally, Revali moves. 

He has an extraordinary kind of body language that Mipha does not see very often. He sort of walks around on the spot for a moment, clearly trying to find something to do with his hands to emphasise whatever point he’s about to make. In the end, he clears his throat and shakes his head slightly.

“It might not be a grudge but perhaps you shouldn’t yield... _ quite  _ so quickly,” his eyes glint in a light that isn’t there and Mipha isn’t sure whether or not she’s relieved to hear the spirit return to his voice. 

Before she can form a response, he turns away, pacing towards the exit but not without a gracious flap of the wing, “I’m sure our business on Eventide Island isn’t over yet, knowing the princess, so when we meet again…”

He stops by the end of the corridor, where the dark-coloured stone meets the bright, blinding light of the sun outside and, for a moment, Mipha swears she can see the most vibrant and uplifting shades of white and blue on him. It’s like watching the sky and the clouds glitter under a sunbeam- there are colours on his feathers that she’s never seen before.

“...I’ll show you that I won’t ever hit you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the love of god i wish i formatted the chapters right fucks sake  
> its fine im gonna like post a load of it in one go anyway enjoy


	5. Crabs are Not Fish

Mipha returns home in the early hours of the evening, just as the sky is tinged with orange and fading into a deep blue. The breeze is growing chilly against her skin as she pads across the perfectly chiselled bridge that leads right up to the front gate of Zora’s Domain. The guards perk up at the sight of her, altering their stances to make it look like they were a little more focused on their work and little less like they were idly chatting. 

Mipha doesn’t mind, either way. She can imagine how horribly boring guard work can be when there’s no real threat to the domain. However, with the looming rise of Ganon, it was important that they stayed vigilant in case of danger. She doesn’t chide them, though; she’s sure they know this. She has faith in them.

“Welcome back, princess.”

One of the guards bows respectfully and Mipha beams, “Thank you. How is the village? Did anything happen whilst I was gone?” 

There’s a light clink of metal as the guard taps his long-ranged weapon against the ground, “Nope! There’s been no trouble as of late,” though, as he says this, he falters slightly and Mipha can see it in the way he deflates a touch, “Although…”

Mipha tilts her head, “Although…?”

The guard chuckles under his breath, though laced with a touch of exasperation, “Although, if I may say, you might want to return home soon. The prince has been waiting and getting quite impatient. Twice we’ve had to catch him running out of the domain in search of you--”

The other guard tacks on with a smile, “He’s a lot faster than he looks, too. Gave us quite the workout.”

Mipha blinks before stifling a light giggle- that sure did sound like her baby brother. Not to be mistaken- he was a very well-behaved little boy, being raised as a prince and being taught every day to be kind by Mipha herself- but, as little boys are, he’s got quite the mischievous streak. On some days, that streak would be manageable and easy to control but on other days it was a streak that ran far enough to cross Hyrule twice and then some. 

Mipha knows she’s the most responsible for her brother’s antics but he could be so hard to scold sometimes! With that cute little round face and big eyes!

“I’m sorry if he’s been causing trouble for you,” she apologises, bowing a little awkwardly, before beginning to trot away in the direction of home, “I’ll make sure he apologises for that.”

The guards merely laugh, not so much bothered as amused, as they wave her off and resume their positions. Whilst their job description read more along the lines of ‘defending the village with their lives’ and not ‘stop the young prince from trying to traverse the entire length of mainland Hyrule so he can hug his big sister’ the latter was probably more bearable of a task.

However, news of her brother always put a small spring in her step, so Mipha practically bounded all the way home, as if all the minor aches and scratches she’d sustained had melted away and evaporated into the cool evening air.

On the short walk back home, Mipha ponders just what it was that Revali had said.

He hadn’t...explicitly  _ apologised  _ (and at this point, she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to hear the word ‘sorry’ come from his mouth til the day she dies) but his words had been...reassuring. She’d found that strange, considering his usual cockiness and unbearably smug attitude had quite the opposite effect but there was an unusual touch of sincerity to his voice that had sent her skin crawling.

It wasn’t as indignant as the first time. It wasn’t a verbal defense of his self-proclaimed superior skills. It was almost like a promise was being made.

She shakes her head, cringing slightly- how much of an idiot she must’ve made of herself, standing there with her mouth hanging open like she had. She hadn’t noticed it at the time until she was making the journey back but she’s almost certain, with the way he’d taken her totally aback, that she must’ve looked totally dumbfounded.

Not that she cared particularly about maintaining an appearance (other than a peaceful and polite one) but somehow, presenting herself like that to Revali of all people made her feel like she’d lost to him somehow. 

It wasn’t a particularly respectful way to think about him but perhaps she felt, in a sense, that showing a more helpless or a sudden weaker side would reinforce his already overinflated ego. She’d tried to remain as civil and proper as she could (though that may have been out of a force of habit stemming from her role as princess) but the last thing she really wanted was to give him evidence that his skills outmatched her own.

Well, that comparison was kind of ineffectual since a comparison of skills wasn’t as black and white as all that- and it’s not that she even cared very much about being looked down upon or though as weaker. Truly, it didn’t impact her as a person in any way. She’d dealt with a lack of confidence many times in her life but she found that, by growing up, she’d developed a more realistic and healthy view of herself and the world around her. That’s why being criticised (and not very well) and slandered (even worse), though as few and far between as those times were, bounced right off of her. Really, it was like water off a duck’s back now and she was happier for it. The only thing that mattered in her mind was developing her skills enough to be able to effectively protect her home (she’ll admit that she’s been faltering in confidence there, as of late, but that could be reflected on another time.)

Revali, on the other hand…

...well, that was where she grew lost. 

At a certain point, it became quite obvious that dramatics and the presence of a very inflated ego was merely a compensation for something that was lacking. After spending some time in the presence of Revali, Mipha had suspected that perhaps there might’ve been a bit of truth to that theory somewhere within him. That was at first.

However, after a while, she’d even begun to doubt that much. Arrogance, followed by a lack of real skill was one thing but arrogance followed by the abilities that had been boasted about was a little different. He could definitely put his money where his mouth was and, watching him now, Mipha isn’t sure he really was the type to make a false claim. 

Sure, the Hinox incident had happened but Mipha doesn’t doubt that Revali could take care of a Hinox by himself if he was a little more prepared and a little less in a rush to prove himself.

The thing is, she’s just not too sure  _ what  _ his deal is. Could someone really just be as arrogant and as cocky as he was and not be trying to make up for something? Whether it was a lack of a certain skill or a craving for some kind of validation, she wasn’t sure. Either way it was a bit of a irritation for virtually everyone around him (perhaps maybe less so for the warriors of his village, she suspects) but she was sure that if he didn’t get the hint; settle down a bit more and jab at Link a bit  _ less  _ then Urbosa just might start losing her patience.

But...she couldn’t lie to herself.

She could lie to  _ him,  _ no problem, but not to herself.

Really, she was kind of worried about him. True, she’d found his slightly...colourful personality to be just a tad trying but after a while that exasperation had become tinged with concern.

It was the head wound that had really reinforced the worry. Now that situation had been truly  _ infuriating  _ but there was no way he could’ve seriously believed in his own words. He must’ve known (felt) how bad and how dangerous that injury had been and yet he’d still been stubbornly insistent on pushing her away and moping alone, most likely feeling very sorry for himself. Nonetheless, with a wound like that, she just couldn’t fathom why he would refuse her help. 

She does think that perhaps she should’ve waited until he was healed before reprimanding him but a funny feeling crosses her mind that makes her wonder if it would’ve changed anything. He was definitely not one to take a criticism well, there was no doubt about that.

After a moment, Mipha’s head grows blank. 

She’s not sure why she’s still thinking about him so long after their mission had been completed. He’d acted like a top-grade jackass at certain parts, for sure, but...there had been the nicer, more generous moments that she wouldn’t deny she appreciated greatly. She could definitely do with more of those moments from him in her life- it would probably make the interactions far more bearable.

Mipha shakes her head for a moment- she’d tried to actively stop thinking about him but somehow even that much had developed into a tangent of its own and before she can now properly rid her head of those worries, a small creature flies into her legs at full-force.

She’s almost knocked back by the force of it but uses her trident to steady herself as the feisty creature attempts to clamber up her body. The feeling is very ticklish and she almost drops the trident quite unceremoniously as she attempts to wrestle this strange little assailant into a comfortable hug.

“You’re back!”

Sidon effectively headbutts her neck, planting his face into the crook and holding on as if his life depended on it. His tiny hands lightly grip at whatever part of Mipha they can reach and she bounces him playfully, laughing as she does so. 

"I've been told that you've been missing me whilst I was gone." 

Sidon pulls back with an enormous grin plastered over his face- his chubby cheeks bulge around it and his eyes are wide and overjoyed. “I did! You were gone forever!”

Mipha carefully sets him back down onto the floor, taking one of his tiny hands in hers and goading him to walk back to where their father was, “Come, now, Sidon- a day and a night is hardly forever,” she beams, “But please don’t go running away from the village! Those guards are stationed there to protect our home, not to chase after you.” She reminds him, firmly but cheerful all the same.

Sidon looks down sheepishly. She doesn’t have to see his face to know his expression is one of guilt- he kicks at the ground with his foot whilst he walks, “I know...sorry.” 

“It’s only because we don’t want you getting hurt.” She says, soothingly, “Once you’re all grown up, you can go wherever you like, but for now, I’d much rather you stayed where someone can see you, alright?”

Sidon, now sensing he wasn’t in the deepest of trouble, nods eagerly, “Okay! I will,” he declares, but Mipha knows all too well that this promise will be forgotten in about a month. He tugs on her arm slightly as they walk together and-- ah, that reminded her!

“Oh! Sidon, I brought back a gift for you.”

Mipha is perked up by her own memory and Sidon looks blank for a moment before erupting into joy, “You did?! What is it?” He releases his grip on her hand, instead favouring to jump up and down on the spot in anticipation. “Was it from the island you went to?”

Mipha balances her trident in the crook of her arm as she kneels down. She’d been holding the small bracelet tightly in her fist to prevent it from being dropped or forgotten and it’d almost slipped her mind entirely that she’d been clenching it all this time. She opens her fingers, almost like the blooming of a lotus flower, and holds it out right in front of the small child’s face.

“Here you go. I made it myself with the grass from the island.” 

It’s not the most extravagant gift, perhaps, but Sidon just seems to be happy to be getting anything at all and his eyes are wide as he marvels at the little round accessory. He’s absolutely stricken and he thrusts his wrist out with a shark-like grin, “Put it on, put it on!! Please!!”

Mipha titters, carefully wrapping the bracelet around Sidon’s small, chubby wrist and fastening it securely. Sidon is practically vibrating with positive energy, looking fit to burst- to say he was delighted would be an incredible understatement.

“Now,” Mipha rises to her feet as Sidon hops up and down, “What do we say…?”

Now quite used to this prompt, Sidon grins up at her without missing a beat, “Thank you! I like it a lot!” He practically yells- his voice bounces off the surrounding structures, most likely echoing across the entire region. 

She takes one of his miniature hands in hers, coaxing him into walking back to their father- he’s totally enamoured by this little trinket and Mipha wonders if he’ll take his eyes away from it long enough to eat some dinner. Speaking of dinner, though, she was definitely in the mood for some good food. She swears her tastebuds are still singed from the fiery meal Revali had cooked for her the night before. Perhaps this next meal would be a little more forgiving on the senses.

“What would you like to eat, Sidon?”

Sidon perks up at the mention of food, looking up at Mipha with round, adoring eyes, “Umm...fish!”

A typical answer- and one to be met with a typical response, “What kind of fish?”

Sidon seems to ponder this one quite carefully- there was food at stake, after all. Mipha can almost hear the little cogs turning in his head, trying to rack up the best ideas it could. After a moment, his face turns solemn as he responds quite seriously with, “Crab.”

“Hmm...is a crab a fish?”

Sidon’s mouth falls open and, suddenly, he looks on the verge of an epiphany. Mipha stifles a giggle, watching his rather dramatic reaction to what was supposedly quite a simple question. He looks from side to side and all around, as if wondering just what his place in the universe was. Was a crab a fish? He didn’t look too sure.

After a tense moment of silence, Sidon looks up to Mipha with a small, determined frown- he clenches a tiny fist, “I don’t know, but they’re both very tasty.”

Mipha laughs merrily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sidon fitting an entire crab into his mouth asmr


	6. Peaceful Nights (now with more sand)

The peaks of the Hebra Mountains are tipped with a warm, fading orange glow, still lingering slightly from the setting sun, now barely visible from under the horizon. It tinges the snow a soft peach colour as Revali soars by. The tiny glittering lights that dot the Rito Village are visible through the gloom of dusk.

Well, that certainly was a mission and a half. It sure had been...doable, he thinks (even though they hadn’t even done it properly).

It seems that Mipha wasn’t actually too bad to work with. Between Urbosa’s strict and unyielding attitude to Daruk’s loud personality and even louder mouth-- and don’t even get him started on Link. Link was just Link and that really was all there was to say on the matter.

Between those three and Mipha- who had been…admittedly very patient with him over the past day- he thinks he’d gotten quite a good deal out of it. Hylia knows Urbosa wouldn’t be having any of that and who knows what Daruk might’ve done. Perhaps thrown him in the direction of the nearest healer. Revali enjoys flying just as much as the next Rito but he shudders to imagine the outcome of  _ that  _ scenario. The chances of him being able to scrape a landing out of that one and Daruk having to scrape him off the ground were about the same.

Through the bitter mountain wind blowing through his wings, he sighs. Not that he’d admit to anyone (and he’d barely admit it to himself) but he still felt just a small twinge of guilt in his gut. There wasn’t much to be done about it right now but it’s not like he  _ hadn’t  _ made an effort. 

He also still felt really quite sore about Mipha’s earlier frustration. How could she think he, of all people, could slip up so carelessly? Of  _ course  _ he wasn’t going to hit her- and if the chances of her getting caught in crossfire were actually a problem then, of course, he wasn’t going to risk it. He was a skilled archer and he certainly  _ wasn’t  _ an idiot, despite whatever she might think.

Did she really have such little faith in him? 

Or was he not yet strong enough to warrant such faith?

Whatever it is, it leaves a very bitter taste in his mouth. 

The warming glow of the Rito Village beckons him and he descends. He gracefully lands on one of the landing fences that stand rigidly between safety and, to the wrong person, a fatal drop. This landing is the largest one built in their village and is currently devoid of any other people. Unsurprising. It’s evening now and most people are probably settling down in their homes.

The landing is darkened slightly by the lack of light sources and Revali exhaustedly steps down from the fence onto the flat wood. Now that he’s landed, the fatigue from the past day is really starting to set in. His head injury is much better- almost unnoticeable to outside eyes through the feathers- but after the straight flight from Hyrule Castle, he fears his wing is beginning to seize up again.

He knows he should probably get something to eat but, even after all the exertion, he’s not got much of an appetite at the moment. That and the fact he’s running low on ingredients to cook with so he figures he’ll compensate for it in the morning and cook a decent breakfast with whatever he can get his hands on. For now, maybe it was best to head home.

Well...what he  _ really  _ wanted to do was head straight over to the Flight Range but the awkward shooting sensation up his arm is pleading him not to. That was fine, too. He’s already decided that it should be fine by tomorrow morning and, after eating properly, he had a whole day to spend training ahead of him. He fully expects to be summoned once more by the princess regarding that irritating little shrine but, as inconsequential as the discovery of a new shrine is to him, that meant round two with the Hinox on Eventide Island.

That was something he was more than ready for. This time, for sure, he’d be prepared. With a fixed-up wing, a thirst for revenge and being armed to the teeth (unfortunately nonliteral- he's lacking in that department) he’s positive that he would be the one to emerge the victor and he’s looking forward to it.

And who knows, it might help him regain some face in front of Mipha. Picking out the shreds of his dignity from the hands of a dead Hinox isn’t a hobby of his but he’ll take what he can get, he thinks. He’d just been underprepared last time, that was all. Next time, the Hinox won’t be so lucky.

He’s a little too preoccupied pondering how he’s going to celebrate his victory to take in much of his surroundings but it’s not like he really needed to anymore. It was the same view he’d been used to all his life, from the dimly lit wooden steps that spiralled up around the stone pillar he called home- passing the small and cozy abodes of the other villagers, all nestling in for the night with their families. Most of the children would be fast asleep by now, much to the relief of their exhausted parents.

It’s a small village. You get used to it very quickly. He could probably traverse this place blind and not have a problem, knowing where everything is. He doesn’t even need to count the numerous sets of stairs that make up a solid two thirds of the village.

His own home is towards the top- he likes the height of it. It makes for a decent view and keeps out of the way of other people. That’s not to say he’s unsociable or anything but...he did like to keep  _ some  _ amount of his personal life private. 

At the very top of the village is where the elder lives and, right smack bang next door, is his own home. He grunts, ascending the last set of steps. 

From what he can see through the gaps in the architecture, the elder was already asleep- again, unsurprising. He sort of had a habit of routinely dozing off throughout the day. Revali thinks that if he spent all day curled up in a rocking chair he might do the same. 

He doesn’t stop to check too closely. Instead, he makes a beeline straight into his space, propping his bow up against one of the chest of drawers. His quiver joins them, sitting neatly together as a pair.

Like most Rito homes, the room is fairly minimalist. There’s a small table and chair- though he rarely uses it. Above that is a small shelf with a few books and his own diary tucked away in there- something he’s been writing in carefully to document his fascinating life in the hopes that, one day, it may be read by others. There’s a few ceramic cups and dishes around he uses for himself. The drawers aren’t full of much other than tools to fix his bow with and clothes he never ever wears. His old scarf, ditched in favour of the champion scarf gifted to him by the princess, still sits on top of the chest looking sadly neglected.

He absentmindedly kicks at a portion of the thin rug that’s partially folded over, flipping it back to how it should be, as he methodically removes his armour and weapon holsters. When he pulls off the breastplate a hidden mass of sand erupts from it and showers across the floorboards. 

Revali groans audibly, eyebrows twitching downwards in disdain. Fucking sand. Still. He’s not sure he could be  _ any  _ further from any of the beaches in Hyrule and yet...sand.

He shakes the armour out some more, ridding it of the parasitic grains- he thinks he must’ve just become so accustomed to the sensation of being covered in sand that he’d barely noticed it since leaving the island. Now that he has a moment to shift around a little bit and suss out what was what, the intrusive specks were becoming much more apparent. 

Fuck it, he thinks. He wasn’t planning on taking everything off but his clothes are in dire need of a shake-down so, without wasting time, he just tugs it off, becoming increasingly disgusted by the presence of sand now forming an unpleasant pool on the floor of his home.

He ends up hanging the remaining garments wherever he could find a spot for them and snatching up the small brush in the corner to clean the floor. He’d absolutely hate himself in the morning if he didn’t clear it up now- especially if he had to roll out of bed and into sand. Fortunately, cleaning up is one of the easier tasks in this village. He just sweeps it over the threshold and over the side of the small bridge that connects his abode to the main walkway. He’s even luckier that this side of the fence isn’t directly above anyone else’s nest so he’s not just sweeping sand right into someone else’s home- there’s also a decent wind that just blows the sand clear off into the water so happy days, he supposes.

He can still feel it under his talons though- he brushes off as much as he can from the underside of his feet before calling it job done and discarding the brush back in the corner of the room. He sighs.

Not the most glamorous lifestyle, was it? Not like he was the chief of the Gerudo or princess of the Zora-- hell, even Daruk probably had more interesting things to do that didn’t involve sweeping sand. Then there was the almighty hero Link, clinging to the princess like a limpet. What kind of things did he have to do and see on a daily basis? He’s not really...complaining as such- he has a very deep-rooted affection for his village, as nearly all Rito do. He’s proud of where he is and how he lives but…

He hops up, clambering into his hammock that’s securely strung up above the small living space, and sinks down into the thin fabric. From where he’s lying he can spot the moon hanging in the sky from the corner of his eye. The room is bathed in darkness, lacking the warm glow that shone from the other homes, and feels empty. Well...it  _ is  _ empty, save for him. The gap in the architecture allows a soft moonbeam to shine through and cast a bright line across his face.

The moon seemed to be about the best company he’d ever been able to get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry windblight hold on i just have 2 shake my clothes off, see i went to eventide a few months ago and im still covered in sand ://


	7. Hinox Round 2: Electric Boogaloo

Zelda notifies them about a day in advance regarding their much appreciated return to Eventide island. It’s obvious common courtesy but it gives Revali a whole 24 hours to get ready to take down the Hinox and...in all honesty, it’s almost  _ too  _ much time. At this point, he  _ might  _ be overthinking it a tad but, whether he’s actually aware of it or not, he’s desperate to emerge the victor this time and regain just a little bit of...whatever the many things he lost that day were. He tries not to think too hard about that part.

Mipha also prepares in her own way. She knows just as much as Revali (though with less of a thirst for revenge) that this trip would mean fighting one of the biggest and nastiest monsters to grace Hyrule’s lush landscape. Seriously, how had they not all been defeated by now? Though they’re enormous, dangerous creatures, that’s normally reason enough to work to dispose of them and reduce the threat. Nonetheless, she makes sure to keep her trident extra sharp for the occasion. 

They don’t need to convene at the castle for this one. They know the way and figure they’ll probably bump into each other on the journey and it’s not like Zelda needs to fill them in, though Mipha, being closer to the castle, does stop to retrieve the Sheikah Slate needed for the shrine and to, if memory didn’t fail, take a few pictures as well.

It’s a bit more overcast than it had been the first day they’d arrived but Revali predicts it’ll clear up by late afternoon. Still, it makes for a nice flight atmosphere and his wing isn’t giving him grief anymore so that was something of a relief. 

With the wind bristling his feathers and blowing beneath his wings, he absentmindedly drops his head down every now and then to scan the large spread of land (more specifically, the rivers) beneath him that branch out and dissolves into the sea, keeping a keen eye out for the telltale rush of water that indicates Mipha’s presence. Conversely, during the parts of the journey that involves swimming, Mipha pops her head out of the water every now and then to look up for a sign of Revali.

It’s when they both hit the coastline do they spy each other across the great distance between land and sky. After spotting Revali, Mipha heads straight towards Eventide Island full steam ahead, leaving Revali to keep up with her. Truly, the quicker they arrived the quicker their mission here would be over (as would the life of the Hinox, unless, by some enormous and impossible twist of fate, Revali was feeling merciful.)

Revali, taking the hint, descends slightly, following after Mipha and feeling really quite impatient to start a fight that would inevitably dissolve into carnage. He’s impressed by how fast she can move, now that he’s observing her at full speed. It’s not like he’d expected any less from her (or any other Zora for that matter- he knows how well they can swim) but Zora didn’t come by his village all too often, if ever, so being able to watch Mipha up close in her best environment was intriguing. He’d heard that the Zora were able to swim straight up waterfalls too, another feat he had yet to see, but Mipha was just so...tiny. How she could reckon with the force of a waterfall was beyond him.

As he’s about to land, Revali’s face twists into a grimace. Sand. Again. Having to shake down his clothes (and himself) was a monumental pain in the ass and knowing that he’s just going to have to do it again when he gets home really puts a damper on his mood. 

Mipha is already waiting patiently on the beach, having crawled out of the ocean mere minutes before. She’s checking to see if the orb she left behind is still in place, half-buried beneath the tree and, to her relief, it remains. It glows a faint orange, barely noticeable, even up close. The sound of talons hitting the sand, followed by a very clear noise of disgust, can be heard vaguely coming from the direction of the shore.

“Is it still there? You buried it, right? Don’t tell me you forgot where you put it.” Revali approaches from behind and Mipha gets to her feet, “No, it’s still here. I don’t think we need to take it with us just yet. So long as it stays put when we’re done with the Hinox, we will have no problems,” she replies, quite confident that this time, they’ll actually get somewhere and with less of the life-threatening injuries.

“How many of these things do you think there are?”

Mipha puts a finger to her chin, pondering it, “Well, the one hanging from the Hinox’s neck makes two...but we haven’t even seen the rest of the island past that.”

“Maybe it works on a rule of threes- that seems to be a common detail for the Sheikah,” Revali stands naturally at full-height, leaving Mipha having to look up at him. Even though they’re discussing a serious matter, she can’t help but note he has remarkably good posture. Was this another Rito thing? He stands so proudly and it matches his personality so well she wouldn’t be surprised if it was another special Revali mannerism. What an odd person he could be.

“Nonetheless,” Revali gesticulates as per the norm and Mipha jumps on the spot at the realisation that she hasn’t been listening to him, “Once we secure the other one, I doubt anything else we find will be much of a challenge- not as much as a Hinox.” He tilts his head to eye Mipha properly, a self-confident smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

To show her readiness for the situation, Mipha brandishes her trident defensively with a tiny frown of determination, “We can do this,” she assures firmly, “Now that we’ve had time to prepare properly.”

Revali pauses for a moment. From a gentle soul like Mipha, it’s always a little bizarre to see her so battle-ready but her sudden change of face and enthusiasm that could rival his own strikes him with...well...hm…

Inspiration? Or...dare he say, admiration?

He coughs suddenly- motivation might be the better word to use here. Yes, that made sense. Not that he, of all people, needed an extra motivational boost but now that Mipha was ready to accompany him, he had the utmost confidence in the situation. He didn’t even need Mipha, truth be told. As she had said before, he’d taken plenty of time to plan ahead but she could make for decent backup, he thinks.

“We’ll have no problem dispensing with that colossal nuisance. Come on,” he turns to make haste towards the overgrowth that occupies a good portion of the island, “If we’re lucky, it might be asleep again. We can get the first hit in that way.”

Mipha hadn’t been expecting him to turn on his heel so suddenly and stalk off towards the trees and his voice is distant and almost inaudible; he’s seriously quick on his feet this time around and Mipha trots off, following behind him to where they remembered the Hinox to be slumbering. Well, she thinks with a hint of a smile, at least he’d recovered properly. 

The newfound confidence was a nice change of pace, she thinks. She’s seriously beginning to wonder if that’s Revali’s doing- whether his own confidence is rubbing off on her a little bit. Was...that a good thing, then? Sure, he could do with a few reality checks every now and then (maybe ego-checks are more like it) but perhaps a rigid kind of faith like that is beneficial to a person. She’s unsure, either way, but right now it’s making her feel like there’s no way they can lose. Perhaps not the wisest mindset but it sure did feel satisfying.

However, the lizards and insects crawling over her feet really were  _ not _ . She’s hoping that if she runs quick enough they won’t bother her but when she suddenly plants her foot on something squelchy, her stomach drops and she feels really quite guilty. 

She slows down a little, attempting to wipe her foot off on the closest patch of dryness she can without having to look at whatever she might’ve accidentally killed and nearly walks straight into the back of Revali for the second time. Seems he was expecting that one, too, as he huffs under his breath.

“Be careful- you don’t want that thing catching sight of us before we’ve made our move,” he lectures, holding out a wing to obscure Mipha from view as he pokes his head out to survey the battleground. He’d call it suspiciously empty, seeing the Bokoblin hideout still (barely) standing. Guess there hadn’t been any other Bokoblins around to occupy it since then.

Mipha’s tiny voice rings out through the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves, “Do you see it?”

Revali, tilting his head just a fraction, replies, “It’s over there. It’s still asleep, too. I would be surprised if it’s woken up at all since the last time.” He retreats back and turns to Mipha, folding his arms, “They don’t get up to much, do they? Other than sleep and eat.”

“The same could be said for lots of animals,” Mipha informs him albeit a little unnecessarily- he frowns. “I know that. At least you can  _ eat  _ those animals,” he mutters under his breath, retrieving his bow and running his fingers over the fletching of the arrows in his quiver, almost preemptively. Mipha also readies her weapon, letting him know that she was good to go, “Do you have a plan in mind?”

“Exploit the first strike as much as we can, do as much damage and don’t get killed,” he finishes off with something of a winning smile and whilst Mipha always prefers a plan over no plan, she can’t deny that that really is the long and short of it. “Hopefully, if we split the damage and attack from the top and bottom, we might confuse it enough that it won’t know who to attack first. I’ll try and lure it closer to me, though. You’re probably more at risk in a close-contact attack.”

Before Mipha can interject and comment on how well that had turned out for him  _ last  _ time, Revali turns to his side, “Mm, but I do advise you keep your wits about you, especially if you’re planning to get  _ under  _ him. I have bomb arrows I’m planning to use and-- though you have no need to worry at  _ all _ \--” Mipha realises he’s referencing her previous frustration from merely a day before and blinks vacantly, “I thought perhaps I should give you the heads up so I don’t...you know,  _ scare  _ you in any way.”

It almost sounds like he’s mocking her but, again, he sounds too sincere for it to be outright teasing. He also does make a good point; Mipha thinks she would like to know if things are going to be exploding nearby, so she simply nods, content that he at least remembered her concerns. “Thank you. I will stay vigilant.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Revali then kneels down to the ground, letting the tips of his wings graze the surface of the ground and Mipha is almost knocked off her feet by a sudden, harsh gust of wind that’s seemingly coming out of absolutely nowhere. Before she can even blink, Revali shoots up into the sky so quickly that all she can catch of him is a big navy-coloured blur in the sky.

Mipha wastes no time after that. She brandishes her trident and slowly creeps out from under the shade of the trees and bushes, keeping her stance low to the ground and holding her breath. Though it wasn’t mentioned explicitly, she assumes the first strike will be made by Revali and then she would follow up before the Hinox could even begin to figure out what was going on. She’d have to be quick on her feet if that were to happen but she’s confident she can pull it off.

With Revali hovering overhead and lining up to take the shot, Mipha scurries towards the Hinox, mentally strategizing. If she can time it right, she can deliver a serious blow a split-second after Revali hits and, with such a large target, she’s confident that he can’t miss this one. Not...that she ever really doubted him to begin with.

The Hinox suddenly jerks upward against the force of several arrows and, with the speed of a peregrine falcon, Mipha darts up close and thrusts the trident into the Hinox’s side with all of her strength. Twisting it as much as she can, she’s forced to retreat when the Hinox attempts to swat her away and groggily pushes itself upright. Light on her feet, she backs away outside of its range, scanning the sky for Revali.

He’s certainly not letting up any time soon because he draws arrow after arrow after arrow, over and over, releasing each one with even more force than the last and subjecting the Hinox to an endless, painful assault. He darts from place to place, though there’s no obstacles yet to dodge, making sure to hit it from every angle he can and Mipha knows she can’t let up now. The Hinox is up, awake and most certainly pissed off which means now is definitely the most important time to strike. 

Keeping herself low, she launches from her spot on the gravel and races towards the Hinox with no hesitation, drawing back and stabbing the Hinox in one of the fleshier, sensitive spots (or as far as she can reach without standing on her tiptoes). From there, it’s just a matter of darting around its legs, without being trodden on, and attacking at every moment she can. It seems like Revali’s plan (and calling it that is being generous enough) is actually working- the Hinox can’t decide whether to stamp on Mipha or swat at Revali and if they can do as much damage as they can before Hinox makes a decision, this would hopefully be an easy win.

However, though the Hinox is clearly confused and very much agitated, it’s still moving wildly and unpredictably, making it hard for Mipha to decide where to go next and the risk of being squashed by the sheer weight of the enormous creature is unfortunately high. Nonetheless, Mipha does not yield.

She stands firm and determined, moving as fast as she possibly can, even though her legs feel like dead weight. It almost reminds her of how she’d had to escape the Hinox the first time, running so fast she felt like her legs would just snap. She’s honestly surprised she hasn’t outright collapsed yet because she’s unsure whether or not she’s actually  _ breathed  _ since she left the shelter of the trees. 

Revali is also exerting himself, not letting up even for a second and assaulting the Hinox repetitively and with no time spared between shots. The Hinox lashes out at him, which he narrowly avoids and counterattacks with a neat shot straight into the face, before calling out to Mipha, “Keep going! We’ve almost got it!”

This fills Mipha with a very small sense of relief- small because their job isn’t over yet and there’s still plenty of ways that this fight could go spectacularly wrong for them. Taking a deep breath, she manages to swiftly dodge the Hinox walking backwards and almost straight into her, pivoting and striking it from below. The Hinox is wobbly now and looking very much worse for wear. She can’t tell exactly how long they’ve been fighting but she suspects they’re doing very well.

Her grip on the trident is becoming a bit slippery and she wheezes slightly; the adrenaline is starting to drain from her body. She darts off to the side, determined to try and get a harsh hit in whilst she still has the energy and the breath. With a short run-up, she lurches at the Hinox and thrusts the trident towards its abdomen with all of her might. Its skin is about as tough as can be expected but she pushes it as hard as she can and the Hinox makes...quite the noise. As a facetious afterthought, she reckon she’d probably make a similar noise if a tiny creature approached her and stabbed her straight in the stomach.

To her delight, though, she feels the Hinox sway slightly and she pushes her feet from the ground in an attempt to coax it into falling backwards. Dizzy from the amount of things happening at the same time and seriously injured at this point, the Hinox relents and topples backwards. Mipha forces out a much needed breath, almost falling over herself- her trident is partially stuck in the leathery skin of the Hinox and slipped from her grip when the Hinox went down. However, the Hinox is still alive and clambering over it now is decidedly a very bad idea.

She spins around, desperate to see where Revali is at and he’s in the process of freefalling, pulling the string of his bow as far as it will go. Mipha can barely make out the faint fizzing sparks at the tip of the arrow and her brain blanks. She knows now is the time to form a coherent thought but it’s not happening. She needs to move and that sure isn’t happening either. Her feet feel rooted to the ground, unsure of which direction to move. Revali frowns, but doesn’t say anything- his brows crease in concentration.

Revali looses the arrows and Mipha shuts her eyes. 

He said he wouldn’t let her get hit.

He  _ promised  _ she wouldn’t get hit. 

So she believes him.

She clenches her fists, squeezing her eyes shut and not moving a single muscle. For some reason, the world goes eerily silent and she feels disconnected and lost. Even though it takes not even milliseconds for Revali’s arrows to hit their target, it feels a lot longer. She almost wonders if she’s just died and not realised it, until the faint fizzling noise of sparks fly by her ears. When they pass by, she releases a relieved breath but the exhale is cut very short, leaving the breath caught in her throat and a silent scream escapes her lips as she’s suddenly swept from her feet. 

Her eyes shoot open and it’s bright white- there’s no detail or shapes that normally make up the visible surroundings and her legs kick out in search of something flat to stand on but there’s nothing. Whatever odd warmth is pressed against her body is now being hurriedly grabbed at by Mipha’s small hands. Anything to keep herself from falling into the unknown. She can’t make out what’s going on- she could be upside-down and inside out for all she knows but, to her relief, the warm sensation of the gravelly ground presses against her feet and she almost collapses, gripping onto the-- wait, what even  _ was  _ that?

She feels dizzy, like she’s just rolled down a mountain, so she takes a few moments to catch a breath, appreciate the solid ground beneath her webbed feet and figure out just what the hell  _ that  _ little moment of madness was about. She doesn’t realise it yet, but she has yet to relinquish her grip on whatever was supporting her and when the light finally fades from her eyes, all she can see is dark blue. 

Her head sways groggily and she manages to look up, partially blinded by the light of the sun, and up into what was apparently Revali’s face. His expression is impossible to gauge from this angle but she can just about make out an emerald eye peeking out from over his beak. 

Mipha stumbles backwards, wobbling slightly but beginning to regain her sense of balance. That was...bizarre. What happened just now? She wasn’t hurt- not at all- but...just a little bit turned around. She’s unsure where to begin so she settles for staring at Revali with a rather withered look. She hadn’t meant to cling onto him- hell, she didn’t even know it  _ was  _ him- but she’s a little bit embarrassed now.

Revali sighs, more out of breath than Mipha had suspected. He runs a wing over the feathers on his face, “I appreciate that you had the sense not to make any sudden moves back then. I was worried you’d run straight into my last shot. It’s a good thing I didn’t misread that situation, isn’t it?”

The adrenaline that was once flooding Mipha’s veins like an unstoppable torrent of water is now gone, leaving her exhausted for a moment. Well, it’s nothing a bit of food and a breather wouldn’t help but she gets a funny feeling her joints will be aching tomorrow morning. 

“Yes, I…” she falters, “I did hope that was the right choice to make, but...where did-- what just happened?” She adjusts her slightly misaligned jewellery- the soft tinkling noises of metal is a pretty stark contrast to the tense situation they’d just been in.

Revali brandishes an unlit bomb arrow for her to see, “I was using these. Though actually  _ hitting  _ you with one is one thing, the force of the explosion nearby is another. You probably would’ve been fine, truth be told, but what kind of person would I be if I let you get caught up in the blast?” He puts the arrow back in the quiver before dusting himself off and readjusting his garments. Mipha opens her mouth but is unsure of what to say. It seems his thought process behind that act, which she can now deduce was him sweeping her off to safety, was actually...almost sweet. Thoughtful, she thinks. As he says, she probably could withstand a blast like that and survive but he’d put the effort in anyway. 

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

...ah, well, she would’ve done the same for him.

Mipha looks back at the Hinox- it’s definitely dead. Though its eye is open, it’s bulging wide and totally unblinking. Vacant and most definitely dead. That was an enormous relief. She can just about spy the small orange Sheikah artifact dangling from around its neck, identical to the one they’d left in the care of the beach. She emits a much needed sigh. Good to see things were now going their way.

“Well, then...shall we move on?”

Mipha smiles and nods, stretching out the crick in her neck as they approach the defeated Hinox, lying still on the ground. She doesn’t take much enjoyment in getting  _ too  _ close and personal to the weird and wild monsters that are native to Hyrule but the way her trident is sticking upright straight out of the Hinox’s belly, she knows she’s going to have to get up there to yank it out.

She grimaces at the unpleasant idea, looking for a place to safely plant her hands to climb up onto the body. She settles for what she assumes to be the hip bone, setting her foot in a small, fleshy divot and pulling herself up to stand atop the monster like a true victor. 

That does cross her mind for an amusing moment. Grabbing the long, slim shaft of the trident, she remembers how Link used to practice with his sword as a child. Every now and then, he’d strike an odd little pose, raising his sword up to the sky like a triumphant victory pose. She muffles a laugh, considering what it would be like to do that herself. She’s not a gloater, though. Not very boastful about her achievements but she suspects there’s probably something very satisfying about being able to stand triumphantly atop a defeated foe. 

That was probably more of Revali’s thing than hers.

Speaking of Revali, he’s lingering by the Hinox’s head, peering into its large, empty eye with a look of disgust plastered on his face. He tilts his head back and forth, inspecting it closely with what could be morbid curiosity.

“Ugh. These things are honestly  _ hideous. _ ”

Mipha manages to extract the trident with a sharp upwards tug, shaking off the...excess Hinox from the prongs. “They are not...the most pleasant creatures in the world, no.” She agrees, deciding that, now that she’s already up here, she may as well retrieve the orb from the safety of the Hinox’s necklace. Walking across its belly, however, is a very strange sensation. She wobbles slightly, teetering back and forth as she descends towards its chest. It’s almost like she can feel the bulging of its guts beneath her toes through the knobbly, gnarled skin and it’s honestly gruesome, in her opinion. 

She aligns the trident and severs the cord, releasing the orb and allowing it to roll from the Hinox’s body and onto the ground. Revali retrieves it, proudly inspecting the reward of a well-fought battle, before tucking it under his arm.

“Now, let’s see where this shrine is hiding.”

Mipha hops down from the Hinox, landing daintily on the gravel and regaining her normal, regal composure. “Of course. Where shall we go next?”

Revali is already looking around, sussing out the surroundings, “Well, there was that stone peak I’d seen before. I suspect there’s something of interest up there and, if there isn’t, it’s probably the best vantage point on the entire island. We’ll definitely find what we’re looking for.”

Mipha cheerfully nods her head, feeling a lot brighter about the situation and their success so far, “I have no objections to that,” she says, beginning to follow Revali as they set out towards the peak of the island, leaving behind their defeated foe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha & revali: *throwing confetti* hooray! we didn't die!  
> hinox: :////


	8. Lift With Your Legs

Though it’s not much in height, the view from the peak of Eventide Island is...nice?

Well, the scenery is lovely. The flora and fauna of the island are appealing to look at and the view of Hyrule’s lush coastline is gorgeous from here. The sunbeams sparkling on the ocean waves are also pleasant and it paints a remarkable picture.

The locals, however, Mipha could probably do without-- and she’s not talking about the lizards.

To reach the very tip top of the island, Revali and Mipha had to very cautiously sidestep around yet another Bokoblin camp occupying what looked to be some abandoned ruins- though not so abandoned anymore. It had involved some very hushed movement, using her own champion cloth as a makeshift pouch for the artifact and an attempt at climbing a small cliff in dead silence. Still, somehow, they’d managed it.

The faint sea breeze that brushes over the landscape is soothing. Mipha doesn’t often get to feel wind as nice as this with the domain being situated between lots of high mountains and hills. The smell of sea salt is a pleasant distraction from the Bokoblin camp right below them.

Revali paces back and forth near the edge, surveying the island for a sign of any new targets and, to Mipha’s relief, he perks up. Mipha is currently sitting on her knees, peering down at the camp and watching the residents potter around doing whatever it is Bokoblins do with their time. Whatever it was, it didn’t look like very much. However, a small orange glow catches her eye.

“Aha! Now  _ that  _ looks promising.”

Mipha tilts her head up to look at whatever Revali is pointing at in the distance. It seems, atop a small hill, is what looks to be a round sort of pedestal that radiates that special aesthetic that the Sheikah had managed to cram into their technology. The orange is still nauseatingly obnoxious, though.

“I also think I’ve found something,” Mipha pipes up shyly, planting her hands on the rocky surface and leaning over to get a better look. Revali kneels down beside her as she extends an arm towards the camp below, where, atop a shoddy wooden structure, is a matching artifact. Mipha pats the orb in her possession almost protectively.

“You see it? It is just like the camp that we saw before.”

Revali’s eyes narrow. “I do. I also see a Moblin blundering about the place, which isn’t something that fills me with hope- but that does make three. I can’t imagine that there should be any more than this.”

Mipha nods, “But we’re still missing two more of those little altars.” 

Revali hoists himself back onto his feet, pacing around the small, rocky cliff and eyeing the altar on the hill in the distance. He puts a hand to his beak in thought. However, as he opens his mouth, ready to speak, Mipha deftly slides in before he can even begin.

“I think perhaps we should retrieve the last artifact first and chase away these foes. Then we can look around for the altars,” Mipha says confidently, nodding to herself affirmatively and pushing herself up onto her knees and pulling herself up with the help of her trident. Revali, standing behind her, eyes her incredulously.

“My, my. Taking charge now, are we, princess?” Revali folds his arms, looking her up and down, “Well, it’s not as if we have any other options, now, is it? It all needs to be done sooner or later.”

Mipha’s eye twitches at the condescension but it’s easy to move past. She brandishes her trident (it smells a little funny after being plunged straight into a Hinox multiple times but she can ignore that for a little while longer) and, instead of bantering back, merely acknowledges him.

“Correct. It will be easier for us if we get this part out of the way now. So, shall we go?”

She spins on her heel and trots off back towards the way they came, leaving Revali standing speechless and motionless behind, watching her with wild surprise. Though it was a bit of a boisterous response, a little more than what Mipha is used to, she can’t help but find herself silently revelling in not only that small burst of self-assured confidence, but the look on Revali’s face. Perhaps that had been a bit mean to suddenly make such an assertion but, really, he was only getting back what he’d been giving out.

As Mipha begins to swiftly descend the cliffside, Revali silently wonders where that had come from. It certainly wasn’t like the kind and timid Mipha to take charge like that, was it?

The rather whimsical thought of Mipha secretly being an obnoxious, assertive and confident leader fills him with a cold dread that he doesn’t like. Though his brain concocts the idea as a joke, it’s far too mortifying for him. He’s left to stand blankly by himself before he jumps out of his thoughts. He hastily stalks towards the edge of the cliff to call downwards.

“I’ll stay up here if it’s all the same with you. This vantage point is a much more appropriate place for my skill set.”

Mipha looks up, though she can’t quite see Revali properly from where she is. Nonetheless, she responds, “Alright. If you would watch my back, I would be very grateful.”

And the thought of a battle-ready, dominant Mipha suddenly dissipates from Revali’s imagination. As if. Mipha was about as scary as a muffin. Sure, she had a firm side, but there was no way she could be withholding a secret authoritative personality, much to his relief.

“You deal with the Bokoblins and I’ll deal with the Moblin, if you don’t mind.” 

Mipha emits an amused sigh as she daintily lands on the surface below, peeking around the corner and scoping out the camp. That was just like him- claiming the hardest target for himself. Will he just drop dead if he can’t perform an impressive feat at least every hour? Mipha is beginning to think so.

However, now was not the time for strange theories. It appears that Revali has already taken the initiative and landed a precise hit directly on the Moblin’s face. Mipha winces, imagining the agony of such an injury, before scurrying out from her cover and tracking down the remaining Bokoblins. With the stone walls and pillars, ruins of buildings from long ago, she keeps herself concealed, darting out and striking the foes when they’re least expecting it. Mipha is still a little bit winded from the battle with the Hinox so, really, she is more than happy to leave the Moblin up to Revali. 

One Bokoblin, two Bokoblin- they all topple over when struck by the lethal force of the Lightscale Trident. Speed is certainly her strength so one-hit monsters are nothing but target practice for her. The Bokoblins emit a telltale whine of pain before being reduced to a heap of monster meat. 

Creeping around a stone corner, Mipha spots the Moblin towering well over the surroundings- the Moblin wobbles where it starts, teetering back and forth before falling backwards like a concrete block. Mipha won’t count the amount of arrows protruding from its body. She’d be here all day.

She stands up. Was that it? It must’ve been. The area is now quiet and, since Revali is keeping an eye on things from above anyway, she scurries towards the wooden tower built to keep the artifact off the ground. It’s rickety and shakes alarmingly beneath her weight when she attempts to climb it, making her really quite nervous. Picking up the orb, she knows this awful structure could collapse under her weight at any moment; she hops off and darts away speedily.

Mipha beams to herself. That made three artifacts and that should’ve been it. Though she hadn’t taken any pictures just yet, she doesn’t think she’ll need to when they’re so close to unlocking the shrine themselves.

Revali is lingering by the edge of the cliff, looking down and watching Mipha questioningly, wondering what she’s planning next. She’d made short work of those Bokoblins but it was hardly anything to get excited about. The Champions were meant to be the best of the best, after all, and if Mipha found any difficulty dispatching a group of dim-witted lumps of sentient meat then Revali could only weep for the future of the Zora. 

Just what was she standing around for? She had the two artifacts now- though he could concede that she wouldn’t be able to climb back up with her hands full like this. He stretches his arms out, testily flapping his wings with the intention of gracefully descending down to Mipha’s level, when Mipha cranes her neck to look up at him, wearing possibly the sweetest smile he’d ever seen.

He falters for a moment, almost knocked off balance. The way her lips stretched into a round little grin, eyes creased with joy-- she looked really quite proud of their achievements today. Even though Revali is high up enough for Mipha’s face to be distant, he can still manage to make out these little specifics. He would suppose that she has every reason to be proud of their efforts if he wasn’t drawing a major blank for a reason he didn’t quite know. 

It was only Mipha. She smiled like that all the time. What exactly was new here?

He brushes the feathers on his cheek, smoothing them back as they had prickled out ever so slightly, before jumping the peak and plummeting down to where Mipha stood. 

Mipha braces herself, feeling the harsh gust of wind against her face from Revali’s steady landing. She hoists the artifacts up so they sit comfortably under each arm, though they're so big it paints quite the comical picture, “That makes three. Now we only need to find where these altars lie and then we shall be done. It’s a great relief,” she smiles up at him.

Revali blinks, processing her words but there’s not much of a response to be had. He does inspect the immediate area, hopping up onto the large slate of stone beside them. Mipha can hear the click of his talons with every step as he begins to talk.

“So, aside from the altar residing on the hill over that way,” he gestures with his wing, “We still have two more to find, though I can’t imagine that should be very difficult,” he smirks, clasping his hands behind his back. Mipha is looking down. Her lips are drawn into a small pout and if Revali didn’t know any better, he’d think she wasn’t paying attention.

(She wasn’t paying attention.)

“After all, with my abilities, it’ll take merely a few minutes for me to locate the whereabouts of the remaining pedestals. Perhaps you should just...stay put.” He tells her in a patronising tone but his eyebrows quirk when he doesn’t receive quite the response he was looking for.

Mipha looks up at him, as if zoning back out of a daydream though, contrary to what he had suspected, she had been listening to him. She puts a hand to her lips, stifling a very obvious giggle. 

“I am sure that you can,” she returns and matches his patronising tone almost perfectly, “But, whilst you were, um…” her eyes flick over his form quite obviously, “...busy gesticulating, I found the second altar.”

Revali looks borderline outraged by her claim. Busy gesticulating, she says? He feels a warm prickling sensation over his cheeks and the back of his neck. So all the time he’d spend today being  _ busy _ fighting foes, taking down a Hinox, keeping an eye on her to make sure she wouldn’t fall behind and he can’t even take a moment to stop and speak? His eyes narrow and the corners of his mouth twist into an odd and uncomfortable smirk.

“Oh? So then where, pray tell, is this second altar you’ve managed to locate?”

Mipha’s smile fades slightly- she puts a finger to her lips, “Oh. Well...I am not so certain I could show it to you whilst you’re standing right there,” she says it like it’s nothing but a minor inconvenience and even though she isn’t saying anything explicitly rude and her tone is nothing but light and airy, he can practically feel the passive aggression. Exactly what had he done to warrant this tone? 

He folds his arms. “Oh, right? And why’s that, then?” He asks, flatly.

“Because you’re standing right on top of it.”

Mipha’s never seen him jump so suddenly. She can’t even laugh because she knows it would be such a disrespectful reaction but it was definitely a novel and amusing sight. Revali jolts suddenly like something’s tugged at his tail feathers, hopping off from the slate as if it were burning metal. His head darts back and forth but nothing registers. This was just a slate of stone. Was she just trying to make a joke?

He eyes her suspiciously, brushing off his sudden reaction like it had been nothing. He doesn’t want to say anything that will paint him like an idiot so he merely watches her, expectantly. Mipha tilts her head ever so slightly to gauge his reaction.

She feels a little bit bad, she won’t lie. She’d clearly ruffled his feathers a bit and he didn’t look happy at all so she’s eager to amend this slightly so he doesn’t feel so grumpy. 

“I think I will call this one of the perks of being a little bit smaller in height. I don’t think you could see it even from there.” It’s her way of making a little joke which she hopes will get through to him- if she’d come off as condescending at all it certainly hadn’t been her intention (but she wouldn’t neglect to call this particular situation ironic). She kneels down, placing the orbs on the ground and arranging them so they wouldn’t roll away. 

Hesitant, Revali follows suit and, though he’d tried to keep it quiet, Mipha can hear the chagrin behind the sigh that escapes him. It’s not like it was his fault he’d missed it. It was impossible to see from above, after all. The glow is faint, not at all harsh enough to see from beneath the slate unless it was dark outside.

“Though I do believe this is where your help will be greatly appreciated.” 

Revali raises an eyebrow, as if silently saying ‘oh, is it now?’ and Mipha can hear it in her head so clearly she legitimately wonders if he’d spoken out loud or not.

“Forgive me,” she smiles apologetically, “Strength isn’t my strongest suit but I think together we can shift this.” She kneels down properly, hooking her hands underneath the edge of the slate to test just how heavy it was. It doesn’t budge in the slightest when she pulls so it was exactly as she had suspected. Revali rolls his eyes.

“Evidently. I’m sure I can take a moment from my gesticulating to be of  _ some  _ help to you.” He spits perhaps with a little more venom than was really necessary and Mipha winces ever so slightly as he huffs, imitating her posture on the other side of the slate. 

Mipha knows by now that he has the capability to be rash when irritated and, though the last thing she wants to do is exacerbate that, she’d rather be safe than sorry when she quietly points out, “Make sure you lift with your legs and not your back or it might be a painful flight home.”

“My apologies,” he snarks, “I wasn’t aware that I was in need of a lecture on how to lift things.” 

His tone is prickly and Mipha is actually somewhat surprised that his agitation seems to be growing. She frowns, dismayed by the current situation. They seemed to be getting along so well when they’d felled the Hinox. She feels a small pang of guilt in her chest as she wonders if she’d really said something wrong here.

Her lips purse in thought.

No. Not really. She'd perhaps made an unfair jab at him, sure, but that was merely mirroring his behaviour. As for right now, she hadn’t said anything wrong. She’d pointed out a fact merely out of concern for his wellbeing and he’d somehow managed to take that as an insult to his intelligence. His insecurity was no fault of her own. 

“It is not a lecture,” she decides to respond, bravely. “This slab is incredibly heavy. I am just as susceptible to back injuries as you are- I am not exempt from this piece of advice.” She tells him firmly, before offering a more sincere, solemn expression as she tacks on quietly, “I only say it out of concern for your wellbeing. I wish you would not make me out as your enemy.”

She’d...said far more than she’d initially intended, that was for sure. She hadn’t even realised the words pouring out of her mouth until she was done and she fixes her eyes firmly on the slab in front of her, a little too afraid to gauge Revali’s expression for herself. She decides to move on before he can retaliate.

“On the count of three, alright? One...two…”

On three, and just as wary of her own advice, she lifts with as much strength as she can without actively doing herself harm and, with Revali’s assistance, the slab begins to budge. They can only lift it a foot or so from the ground so they’re going to have to settle on shimmying it to the side. 

“Move it...that way…” Revali grits out, feeling pulled down by the weight of the stone. Mipha decides questioning him now would send her on the fast track to another tense reunion at Hyrule Castle when this was over so she settles for doing as he says.

After a moment of grunting and heaving, they both drop the slab with a loud, dull thud. Good thing the altar wasn’t easily damaged or there would be a lot more jeopardy in this situation. Mipha takes a moment to sit on her knees and rest, feeling an uncomfortable strain in her arms.

“Heavier...than I thought it would be,” she breathes. Revali also emits a long exhale, rolling his shoulders. “What in the world is this even doing here anyway? I bet those imbecilic Bokoblins put this here to use as a glorified table. Moronic creatures…” he curses them under his breath before getting to his feet and gesturing to Mipha.

“Come around this side. From this angle we could probably push it instead of lift it.”

Mipha blinks, hopping up to her feet and sidling around the altar to the small gap between the cliff face and where the slab was now sticking outwards. So that had been his plan.

“That is a good idea.”

Revali should think so. Busy gesticulating, his ass.

They both sit together with their backs dead against the rock face, planting their feet against the very edge of the slab and, in sync, pushing against it with all of their might. To Mipha’s delight, the slab is easier to shift this way and, though they cannot push it all the way off of the altar, they are able to move it enough for the hole in the middle to be accessible. When their efforts are enough, they both crumple, breathless.

“I think...I would like to go back to fighting the Hinox.” Mipha says facetiously and Revali clucks his tongue. “I might have to agree with you.” 

Nonetheless, they didn’t have time to sit around all day. They scramble to their feet and Mipha retrieves one of the artifacts to place in the revealed slot. The orb fits perfectly and glows brighter than before which Mipha assumes is a good thing. Revali picks up the remaining orb, becoming rather exhausted by the mission. The less he has to see of these things the better, he thinks.

When Mipha turns back to him, Revali holds the orb out for her to take before kneeling to the floor, wings spread, “Get on. It’ll be quicker if we fly- that way we’ll be able to scan the whole island much faster and, to be frank, the quicker we get this over and done with the better. All this for a bloody shrine.”

Mipha, getting the very obvious hint that Revali was growing tired and impatient, tucks the artifact back into her makeshift pouch, holsters her trident in the same fashion and...well, she hesitates. She’s never ridden on the back of a Rito before and she’s unsure how to proceed. Were there rules to this? Is there someplace she’s supposed to grab onto?

Revali sighs rather dramatically, giving a short, expectant flap of the wings to hurry her along, “Princess, you may have all the time in the world, but I do not- or would you like me to leave you behind?”

Mipha’s expression twists in perplexion as she maneuvers her way around Revali in the hopes of finding a suitable place to start. In the end, she plants her hands on his pauldrons and swings her leg over his back, wary of the bow holstered there. She ends up pressing her knees against his sides to steady herself.

Revali shimmies slightly under her weight to get himself comfortable and, before Mipha knows it, he’s making a run-up. Her grip suddenly tightens like a vice and when he flaps his wings, kicking off from the ground, Mipha squeaks.

Her eyes clench shut and she’s convinced that she’s going to fall- there’s no way she won’t- but when the awful, gut-wrenching sensation of plummeting through the air doesn’t come, she risks a tiny peek. 

Surprisingly, there isn’t too much movement other than the occasional flap of the wing. The way he’s angling himself allows Mipha to cling onto him and balance on her knees without actually having to sit on his back. She’d expected a more turbulent journey but it was far smoother than she’d previously imagined.

Still, she’s a little unsure about this new experience so the iron grip stays. She feels like she can barely breathe for fear of knocking Revali off balance, though she notes that he’s flying remarkably low to the ground which she supposes does a little bit to quell her fears. She could probably survive a fall from this height, if she fell the right way.

But she’s still left wondering. His offer to fly them both- did this mean he was still upset about earlier? Honestly, it’s unbelievably difficult to tell with him. She’d done her utmost to lighten the mood a little bit, maybe make a joke at her own expense, but she’s still unsure of where they stood. Or, more accurately, where  _ he  _ stood.

She figures she’ll keep a close eye on things in the hour to come. Revali descends gracefully and lands so smoothly onto the gravelly terrain of the hill that Mipha can barely feel it and though the novel sensation of flight was certainly...interesting, she can see why he’d enjoy it so much. Still, it makes her wonder…

Revali jerks impatiently as a sign for Mipha to disembark. Mipha scrambles to hike her leg back over without kicking him in the back of the head or doing any other kind of damage- she skids slightly on the uneven ground but recovers quickly. Revali stretches his back out as he stands up- he holds his wing out expectantly and it takes Mipha a moment to realise he’s waiting for the artifact. She wrestles it out of the pouch and holds it out for him to take.

“You know, Revali, I was just wondering…”

As she speaks, Revali saunters up to the altar and places the artifact in its rightful place. 

“That move I see you do- the one where you fly right up into the air. You didn’t do it this time around. I thought that was how you always take off.”

Mipha suddenly spots a cheeky glint in Revali’s emerald-coloured eyes and a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth. This was always a good sign- at least, in the context of their relationship it was. At any other time it would’ve probably preceded an unnecessary spiel on Revali’s superior abilities that would’ve resulted in a near-fatal case of boredom in every person in the surrounding area.

“Of course, those shackled to the ground might have that assumption. It’s true, I do use my special ability to take off more often than not as it grants me immense height at a speed no other Rito can accomplish but, due to the nature of our surroundings, the height it provides was unnecessary. It was quicker and easier to take off and fly low.”

Mipha nods, taking in the gist of what he was getting across but she thinks she could’ve done with less theatrics. “I see. It looks like something that takes a lot of strength.”

Revali emits a noise of triumph, extending a wing, “Of course it does! However, with adequate time and practice comes ease. A feat impossible for anyone else but I, is now effortless.”

Mipha watches him for a moment. Her expression is sombre when she watches the way he moves, detailing his incredible efforts, and though his speech is comical, she feels like there’s some real weight behind his boasting. 

“You know…” Mipha begins shyly, wondering how to phrase her words, “I think it is quite the shame I haven’t been able to witness your true skill until today.”

And, at that, Revali laughs. He laughs like Mipha’s cracked the world’s most hilarious joke and Mipha is left vacantly blinking at his strange and exaggerated response. Revali shakes his head as he begins to pace, “Oh, my dear princess,” he grins and Mipha’s legs suddenly feel weak, “You haven’t even  _ seen  _ my true skill. However, there is some truth to that. It  _ is _ a remarkable shame you’ve been unable to see me in action until quite recently and...yes, our time is most certainly occupied by the looming threat of Ganon but…”

Revali looks back at Mipha from over his shoulder and all Mipha can see is the captivating shimmer of his eyes.

“...if you were interested in a demonstration, I would be  _ more  _ than happy to oblige.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revali, doing the macarena as he talks: what do u mean i gesticulate???


	9. Nice End to a Good Day

“So then where  _ is it? _ ”

The sun is still warm, beating down on the beaches of Eventide Island where Revali and Mipha are lingering. The artifact that was once buried in the safety of the sand is now in Mipha’s hands. Mipha stares at the vacant space in front of her, wriggling her feet against the soft surface of the beach beneath. She’s going to need to take a dip into the water in a moment. The sun is getting to be too much and she’s not the only one feeling it.

Revali stalks past her, slightly hunched over and looking just a wee bit agitated. He runs a feathered hand down his beak with a small groan. The heat was becoming stifling for him. Rito aren’t made for warm weather and his feathers are beginning to feel matted and uncomfortable. He’s actually half tempted to dip his talons into the water to provide even just a little bit of relief from the high temperature.

“Are you sure we didn’t miss anything…?”

“Well, evidently we  _ have _ . We’ve scoured the forest and beneath the cliffs.” He huffs, impatiently, folding his arms, “And yet we’ve found nothing. These altars are hardly inconspicuous now, are they?”

Mipha sighs, feeling really just a little too warm and the shade doesn’t do very much for her either. The air was so dry today.

Revali sighs. “Well, it can’t be helped. I’m just going to have to gain some height and search the area from there. I suppose we did fly rather low, but…” He pulls an almost pained expression as he runs a hand through his braids and he says quietly, “You’re...going to have to give me a moment.”

Mipha knows she’s probably not meant to have heard that- not really- but she can understand. Neither of them were a race meant for the heat so this provided a nice sense of mutual discomfort. If he needed a moment, then that was perfect for her.

She sets the artifact down beneath the tree she’d chosen to linger under, before stepping out into the light of the midday sun and making a beeline for the shore. Revali kneels down and sort of squats there, not wanting to sit directly on the sand. Not the most comfortable position in the world but it’ll do him for now. Mipha, breaking out into a small run as she crosses the firm, dampened sand, splashes straight into the cool ocean water. 

It is...beyond refreshing. Mipha actually feels a small burst of excitement as she sinks into the waves, already feeling revitalised. Her legs kick rhythmically and she begins to move through the water with the grace of a dancer. She decides perhaps a relaxing lap around the island is what she needs to get back into the spirit of the assignment, as she passes by a crab that’s burying itself beneath the sand. In the distance, she can see a school of fish swimming in the opposite direction.

Though Revali has the sky to himself, a part of the world she’d never even dreamed to explore, Mipha feels lucky to have her own little place in the universe. She’s sure Revali has no interest in her way of life but, looking around at the sea floor, at what looks like a whole different world to what was above on the land, she wishes he could see the things that she sees.

She gazes at the shoreline, where the sand hits dry land- the colours are a soothing sight as she begins to make her way around the island. Things looked and felt so much calmer under the water. From the taupe coloured sand, to the scores of neon fish minding their own business and the solid, unmoving chunks of brown rock, looking like large tree trunks…

...rocks?

Mipha squints. That was a bit odd, wasn’t it? The island did have cliffs, standing rigidly while the waves lapped in repetition against them, but that was on the other side of the island. Rocks certainly weren’t uncommon on this island but this part of the island is still sandy beaches and the occasional clump of dirt so, somehow, there is a rather large rocky obstruction in her path. Even stranger than that, the rock stands isolated from the surface of the island- there is a space of water between the sandy shore and the rock which Mipha could easily swim through but the space is...large enough to pique Mipha’s curiosity. So, naturally, she swims through the gap, watching the oddly-placed rock the whole time.

What was even weirder, she found, was how circular it was. Was this just some strange little outcrop? Geography sure could be strange sometimes. She narrows the aesthetically pleasing circular shape down to water erosion but it still makes for a nice little platform, so she swims up to investigate.

Popping her head out of the water, she plants her hands against the protruding chunks of rock and pulls herself upwards to sit on the little outcrop but, gasping, she almost slips straight back down when she manages to hike herself up to the top. Her face breaks out into a barely contained grin.

“Revali!”

Revali is still sitting, or squatting, sort of, on the sand. His legs ache ever so slightly from a nice mixture of heat and heavy lifting and he emits a long, exasperated sigh. He’s not really listening- he’s definitely heard Mipha shouting about something or another but he’s too busy staring out at the glittering horizon to pay proper attention. He absentmindedly worries that the heat is making him feel lazy.

He idly watches the warm haze over the sea that makes the horizon wobble, mentally preparing to get back up and get up into the sky. Seriously, how the hell did people enjoy this heat? He wonders what it must be like to be a Gerudo. Living in the desert all the time-- why even build a town out there? It’s not like there was a shortage of space in the area.

Revali grunts, pushing himself up to his feet and, when he turns his head, he spots Mipha peeking out from the waves wearing a rather almighty pout. Her cheeks bulge slightly and, though she lacks eyebrows, she’s frowning ever so slightly. Not angry but perhaps mildly inconvenienced. Revali hasn’t seen this expression very much and, though he knows he should take her as seriously as anyone else, this was just...too sweet.

“Did you say something?”

Mipha exhales, still looking fairly unhappy about something. “You might not believe this. Come over here.”

Consider Revali’s curiosity piqued. He trudges through the dry sand over to where the water thins out in layers, tilting his head to see where Mipha is swimming off to and, from where he’s standing, all he can really see is a small rocky outcrop. Mipha keeps herself afloat, smacking a small hand against the wet stone. 

“The third altar was right here the entire time.”

Revali’s journey of expressions is like a performance piece. His eyebrows raise gradually in disbelief and he bows his head slightly, staring very intently at the now offensive formation of rock sitting innocently in the sea water. She could not possibly be telling him what he thinks she’s telling him.

Next to the beach they’d spent an entire day and a night sitting on- next to the beach they’d started out on which eventually led to this entire fiasco- next to the part of the island they’d spent the most time on out of anywhere else and the altar had been  _ right there the entire time?! _

He can’t believe it. He actually wants to scream out loud. How absolutely fucking  _ infuriating.  _ How the  _ hell  _ had he missed that from the sky? The altar under the rock was one thing but the altar that could probably only be seen exclusively from above was right fucking there and he’d actually managed to overlook it! Sure, Mipha, who had been on his back during that time, had also failed to pick up on it but that was probably forgiven now that she’d actually discovered it, at long last.

Mipha feels...really quite displeased. It’s not the altars fault, she thinks, and though it’s a very easy mistake to make, she’s just a little bit irritated that she’d failed to notice something that had been just nearby during most of their time here. She can also understand that Revali must be incredibly frustrated by this turn of events but she’s not sure she likes the actual vacant stare on his face. It’s almost like the calm before the storm. She gets a feeling this will turn into a rant that will span the entire journey back to the castle.

However, it meant their trial was over! Ignoring how demotivating that had been, Mipha is actually pretty eager to see where this was going to get them. She calls over to Revali, who is just standing on the beach with his face in his hands, probably cursing this entire island under his breath, and asks him to throw over the artifact so she can put it back into its rightful place. He complies, albeit still visibly frustrated. So much so the force behind his throw almost causes the artifact to sail right over Mipha’s head. Had it not been for her quick reflexes, that would’ve been the crappy cherry on top of the cake made of all their remaining fucks to give.

The orb fits nicely into the dome-shaped indent on the altar and it flashes a bright, warm orange colour. The pair then go silent, wondering just what was going to happen next. After virtually two days spent on this one mission, the anticipation is almost unbearable. Revali is just relieved they don’t have to waste any time actually getting  _ inside  _ it. (Though he will never shy away from prattling on about how quickly he’d solved the shrines necessary to pilot Vah Medoh.)

Suddenly there’s a very faint rumbling that Revali can just about feel against his talons. It’s barely there and, to be honest, if he hadn’t been concentrating he probably wouldn’t have noticed it. His eyes dart around the tops of the trees and the large hills in the distance, looking for the source of the tremors. Mipha swims hastily back to the shore to join him.

Revali’s eyes widen fractionally, “Ah- up there! Where we were earlier!”

Mipha has to stand on her tiptoes to make out the same view that Revali is seeing and, together, they observe a strange, wide shape emerge from the peak of the island, bringing a familiar orange glow with it. After a few moments, the rumbling stops and the shape grows silent and still. The island is...almost eerily quiet. 

Mipha and Revali share an almost bewildered look...and then Revali sighs, kneeling down onto the sand and gesturing vaguely with his wing. He doesn’t even need to say anything- Mipha takes the hint immediately and clambers onto his back, albeit clumsier than she would’ve liked. This awkward maneuver doesn’t go unnoticed by Revali, either, who chuckles audibly.

“For a princess, you’re not very graceful, are you?” he prods, testily flapping his wings. Mipha doesn’t have time to form a rebuttal before he’s pelting across the sand and she has to hold her breath in anticipation for the lift-off. Once again, he doesn’t use his infamous technique but it does prompt her to wonder how much strength it must use to take off from the ground.

Just thinking about it is making her arms tired. She titters quietly to herself, gripping tightly on the straps of his armour to keep herself rooted to his back. Flying this low- it’s still a new experience but it’s something that Mipha is beginning to enjoy. The wind is nice on her face and the feeling of weightlessness is certainly interesting- if she were flying up higher she might be just a little more afraid but she...trusts Revali. He may be boastful but she trusts him.

She braces herself for the descent, physically trying to keep her stomach in place as they drop down to land in front of the newly emerged shrine. Revali kneels down to give Mipha enough space to dismount but before she can make the attempt to dislodge herself from his back, he swoops around, pulling her off like she weighed absolutely nothing and daintily setting her down onto the ground.

Mipha notes that his wings are...very warm and soft. In fact, she’d thought the same thing when he’d tugged her out of the way of the blast earlier. She’d half expected his wings to be a little rougher- feathers sometimes were on the birds she’d been able to get close to- but no. As he pulls away, allowing Mipha to stand on her own two feet, she covers her flushed cheeks with a hand, wondering why the sudden empty cold surrounding her felt so disappointing. 

He tilts his head to the side to catch a glimpse of her face- Mipha can’t believe his body can just bend the way it does- and he offers a cheeky wink that suddenly makes her feel very rigid. She grips the Lightscale Trident tightly, hoping that he won’t make any hasty assumptions regarding her awkward behaviour.

Luckily for her, he doesn’t say anymore.

Instead, he begins to pace around the shrine, inspecting it closely. It looks exactly the same as all the others Mipha had been able to see- dark and shiny with bright glowing orange spots adorning the outside like constellations. Though they had the Sheikah Slate with them, that didn’t guarantee entry. Even the princess, herself, had trouble accessing shrines with it.

And besides, it wasn’t in the job description to actually get  _ inside _ . They’d uncovered the shrine and, really, all there was left to do was snap a few pictures for the princess to look over. Mipha unhooks the small tablet from her waist and begins to awkwardly fiddle with the screen to unlock the camera function.

She takes a photo of the front- it’s a clear shot, very nice, and the sunshine marks all of the important details. She takes a photo of the side, just for good measure, though there’s nothing to really see there-- she also manages to snap a distant photo of the altar on the hill, visible from where they were. 

Being able to immediately capture a moment in time to be looked upon again and again...Mipha can barely fathom the idea but it’s such an incredible power to possess. Mipha silently wishes to be able to have a device like this for her own. The amount of pictures she would capture (most of which would be Sidon) fills her heart with a real longing.

She moves the slate around, spying the area through the screen, and falling upon Revali, who was standing idle, hand on hip, gazing off into the distance. He looked really quite striking in this light, standing proudly on the edge of the cliff. This would make for the nicest candid shot.

So she secretly takes a photo of him, too. Just for fun. She can always delete it before they return the slate to the princess, after all.

She slyly turns the slate off and hooks it back onto her waist.

Well, then…

…

“I suppose this is over then, isn’t it? Our mission is done.”

Mipha sounds almost melancholy as she speaks and even Revali is realising that their little job is done. It sure didn’t feel like it, having spanned two whole days, and though he’s more than happy to get back to the Flight Range, there’s a little niggling thought in the back of his head that prompts him to wonder whether he’d be a bit bored without Mipha’s company.

At this point, she was by far the most bearable of all the Champions. Not too loud, not too stern and not too...sickeningly heroic. He’s honestly surprised at how well this situation has turned out, albeit the few hiccups and the head injury along the way. To think at first he’d had to adjust to Mipha’s presence- now he’s going to have to adjust to her absence. 

He watches her tuck the slate away, balancing the trident in the crook of her arm as she does so. She strikes him as something of an outlier- normally, he wouldn’t really pay attention to her all that much. She was very quiet, very formal and, in fairness, never seemed to have all too much of an interest in him, either, and that was fine. After all, though he couldn’t define a type, Revali knows himself well enough that he takes a bit more notice of the fiery ladies (and any lady who was willing to take the time to fawn over him) so Mipha clearly stands out as anomaly here.

However, now that he thinks about it, she’s fiery in her own way. Not like a large, erupting flame that rages through everything in its path but more like...a subtle spark with the potential of setting things ablaze. From lying to him long enough to treat his wounds whilst he was unaware, to unexpectedly taking charge at points and, well, having the gall to mention his shortcomings. Normally, these things would irritate him to no end but coming from the tiny princess herself, it was...honestly kind of pleasant. A decent challenge, he thinks.

But those small, newfound facets of her personality weren’t enough to overshadow her gentle nature and genuine concern for everybody around her. He supposes Mipha just isn’t Mipha if she isn’t fretting over the wellbeing of someone else.

Mipha then stands to attention, holding her trident close, “Well, thank you for your efforts, Revali. It might be a little bit late but we have succeeded. Now we just need to return the slate to the princess and we will be all done.”

Revali thinks he will always appreciate Mipha’s civility, even after their minor spats. Her genuine tone actually makes him feel a little bit flattered.

“Yes, it was a bit...overdue, I will admit, but we’ve done what we needed to do. It’ll certainly be nice to return home and resume training for the  _ actual  _ threat to our kingdom,” he sighs, shaking his head. Though it was a mission in itself, this whole thing almost felt like a vacation from the actual threat at hand.

The indirect mention of Ganon makes Mipha feel a bit blue. She’d almost forgotten about that entirely. Yes, there was...still a lot of work to do before they were ready to face Calamity Ganon. Here’s hoping they could get it all done in time…

Mipha flashes a small smile, “Yes...your training is very important, as is mine. We have to be ready as we possibly can be to fight.” Though her words are hopeful, her tone is suspiciously defeated. Revali watches the way Mipha fixes her gaze to the floor, observing every crack and divot in the rocks below their feet.

She looked...honestly nervous. 

Well, that was fine. Unabashed confidence was Revali’s speciality.

“I wish you wouldn’t look so glum whilst you say that, princess, it’s not a very befitting attitude for a great Champion,” he prods, and it takes Mipha a moment to realise he’s teasing her, “You should know by now that you have no real need to fear. I am already reaching the very peak of my skills in aerial combat- Ganon won’t stand a chance against us, for sure. So long as the princess comes to realise how indispensable my abilities are, that is.”

He scoffs to himself at the thought of being recruited merely to support Link. He was better than that!

Mipha’s expression blank for a second as she decides what to really make of his words but she can’t help it- she smiles wide. Sure, overconfidence was a dangerous habit but she won’t lie, he really did make her feel just a little better about everything. However, what was she supposed to say? She wanted to agree with him but for some reason, her lips felt sealed shut, fated to only smile for the time being. How embarrassing...

She nods, knowing too well that Revali doesn’t understand how awkward it is for her. 

Mipha silently watches him pace towards the very edge of the cliff that overlooks the island and the coast of mainland Hyrule. It would be a strange swim home, for sure. It left her a lot to think about but with no real indication of what it was. The mind could certainly be a bizarre and inconvenient thing at times.

She’s about to start looking for the way down but Revali is now kneeling down beside her, looking up with those bright green eyes and she...actually has no idea what he wants from her. Why was he looking at her like that?

“Um….”

“Oh, come now, we’ve done this three times already! Surely you can take the hint,” he complains, flapping his wings impatiently. Mipha stumbles backwards a little, “Eh? Oh-- you...want me to get on?”

He sighs hard, “No, princess, I just want you to watch me kneel here for a little bit for absolutely no reason at all--  _ yes,  _ I want you to get on!”

His sarcasm is definitely not lost on Mipha and he turns his head away to mutter under his breath, “But, I can leave you here if that’s what you desire.”

Mipha suddenly scrambles to board Revali’s back before he loses the rest of his admittedly already short supply of patience. Fastening the trident to her back, she settles down quickly and allows Revali to hoist her up into a position more comfortable for him. However, what she doesn’t see is the borderline mischievous expression that blooms on his face.

“Oh, princess, that’s right-- you mentioned my renowned ability earlier, didn’t you? Well, I think perhaps now might be the time for you to witness it firsthand,” the humour is evident in his voice and poor Mipha doesn’t cotton onto his idea in time until he eyes her over his shoulder and says lowly, “Hold on tight.”

Mipha is lucky she had the split second to grab whatever she could get her hands on and grab it  _ tight  _ before Revali rockets into the air with a force unlike anything she’d felt before. The feeling of weightlessness- the wind pulling at her jewellery and trident and, by extension, herself, makes her feel like she’s seconds away from plummeting to her doom. She can’t stop the loud squeal from escaping her mouth as she does her best to keep herself cemented to Revali.

Through the loud, grating wind she can hear Revali laughing boisterously and, whilst she’d normally be embarrassed, she’s a little too busy being absolutely  _ mortified _ by how high they were! If she fell from this height, no matter how skilled a diver she was, there was no way she’d survive. In fact, her heart would probably stop before she came anywhere close to the water’s surface and, right now, it’s all she can possibly think about. How high was he planning to go?!

In the end, to quell her fears and as a measure to keep herself as close to Revali as possible, she shoves her face into the back of his neck and stays there, squeaking every so often when she feels like she might slip. She had to think of something to take her mind away from all of this.

She focuses on how soft his feathers are against her face. Come to think of it, the ones here were probably softer than the ones on his wings. It reminded her of the soft fluff that many chicks had after hatching, like the ducklings she’d occasionally see swimming up the river. 

Yes, that’s it, Mipha, keep thinking about ducklings and not the fatal drop right below you.

From there, she wonders if Revali was fluffy as a child. She’d never seen any children from Rito Village before, as they didn’t tend to leave their home until they were much older, but it seemed like a theory that would make sense. If that were true, the very image of a tiny, fluffy little Revali sends a grin straight to Mipha’s face. How adorable! 

…

They’re no longer ascending but Mipha isn’t sure about pulling her face away just yet. The height is probably still too much for her to bear and, at the moment, she’d much rather enjoy the calming feeling of the soft feathers on her face and the subtle scent of-- well...she supposes it’s just him. It’s not a particular smell. It doesn’t remind her of anything, really, except for him. Everyone has their own personal scent (sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant) but she supposes she’s never gotten close enough to really catch it from him.

She absentmindedly wonders what she smells like to him. Was it bad? She hopes not. Surely water was meant to wash away bad things but there was no telling- she’s so used to being herself that these things are hard to notice.

She sighs, though not out of misery, and Revali can feel it tickling the back of his neck. 

He resists the urge not to jerk too suddenly and risk frightening his new passenger. Sure, he found it unbelievably amusing to watch first-time flyers panic wildly but perhaps Mipha’s dealt with enough anxiety for one weekend. Not to mention the feeling of her face snuggling into the back of his neck is surprisingly pleasant and that’s something he’d never admit. He doesn’t want to stir her. 

Not just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revali: i can show you the wooorld~~  
> mipha: id rather u didnt ://


	10. Accustomed to the Presence

The breeze is gentle under Revali's wings, a harsh contrast to the gale that had brought them both up into the sky and the sun is about to dip behind the large shapes that make up Hyrule Castle in the distance. Mipha hasn’t moved an inch since they reached the air and her grip on his armour is still tight, though he can feel she’s relaxing.

He normally doesn’t take passengers- they’re uncomfortable, they’re heavy and plain unpleasant to have to ferry about but Mipha is much different. It’s like she weighs absolutely nothing and he’s not even in need of a break yet. In fact, he reckons he could probably make the whole trip back to the castle without needing to stop and, with an extra person on top, that’s something that doesn’t happen often.

Having her resting on his back is actually quite comfortable. She’s not very warm in general but she’s definitely keeping the wind off his back. He’s trying to fly as low as possible to prevent her from freezing to death due to the high altitude but she has yet to make any complaints so he assumes he’s doing just fine (but the way Mipha is clinging to him, it doesn’t seem like she’s going to start talking any time soon anyway.)

Revali begins to lower slightly, as Hyrule Castle comes into clear view. The sky is as quiet as always- so much so it makes the rest of the world feel empty. It almost makes it feel like he and Mipha are the only people in the whole of Hyrule and the thought very, very nearly makes him smile.

He tilts his head slightly. She hadn’t moved a muscle for the entire duration of the flight now and he thinks it’ll be a shame for her to miss the beginning of a nice sunset, especially since she now had the best view of it out of anybody (and because he’d taken the effort of carrying her along with him so she better enjoy this whilst she can).

“Mipha…?”

There’s no response. The breeze is barely noticeable, especially at the speed they’re flying, so there’s no way she can’t hear him. He flaps his wings a few times, perhaps a little more emphatically than normal to budge her but she doesn’t stir. He frowns.

“Mipha!”

Suddenly, he can feel some movement on his back, though it’s hard to determine what. Mipha lifts her head a fraction and a tiny gasp escapes her lips as she remembers just where she is. Revali can just about make out her face in his peripheral vision but his features soften. 

“Were you asleep…?” He asks and, surprisingly, it's not at all teasing.

Mipha bows her head awkwardly, peeking out at the world around her from over the crook of Revali’s shoulder. The sun was setting already. How long had they been flying for? Or, more appropriately, how long had she been asleep for? She’d assume the back of a Rito would be the last place someone would pick for a nap but…

...he’d been so warm and comfortable, she must’ve dozed off without realising. How embarrassing!

“I...I apologise,” Mipha says quietly, muffling her voice behind Revali’s feathers, “I had no idea I fell asleep. Where are we…?”

She feels an awkward convulsing movement underneath her chest- Revali was laughing quietly. “We’re almost at the castle now but you’ve been hiding in my feathers for the entire flight. I figured perhaps you’d appreciate the view but I didn’t realise you’d fallen asleep,” he laughs and it hits the wind like a melody- like the strong strum of a guitar, “Is it comfortable back there?”

Mipha’s mouth twists into an awkward shape; she doesn’t quite know what to say. He didn’t seem upset with her but she feared her sudden, unprompted nap was quite rude. 

“It is…” she replies, softly, “and the view is beautiful. Is...this what you see every time you fly?” Mipha risks lifting her head a little higher so she can get to grips with the landscape around her, trying to suss out exactly where they were. At the moment, all she could make out was the vast expanse of Hyrule Field beneath them, shimmering a bright green under the soft glow of the setting sun.

Revali also looks down, appreciating the scenery, though he’d seen it many times before. He tactfully bypasses the first part of her sentence, “More or less. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be confined to the ground- shackled all the way down there.” His voice has lost the normal, pompous tone it normally held, instead favouring something more placid and relaxed. Suddenly, Mipha’s fear of falling was gone.

She moves her hand from the back plate of his armour to rest them comfortably on his shoulders- to which he twitches, though barely noticeable, as she sits up a bit further, admiring the horizon.

“You may be right, but I am not shackled to the ground, either. You forget, I have the entire expanse of the rivers, the lakes and the seas to myself. There are things to see under the water that you wouldn’t believe.” 

Revali supposes he’s never really wondered what living underwater would be like. It was just water, after all, but, unlike the sea, the sky was empty. That’s what he liked the most about it.

“Perhaps you’re right, but I have no desire to be underwater. The ground is claustrophobic enough as it is.”

“Is that why you prefer to fly?”

Revali eyes Mipha from over his own shoulder, “It would only make sense, wouldn’t it?”

Mipha swallows, moving her hands from Revali’s shoulders to the top of his back- he can feel her hands dragging across his feathers and it’s enough to make him shiver, as she goes back to resting comfortably there, watching the world go by. 

The sky is silent for a moment, until Mipha finally says, “Thank you for taking me with you. It was nice of you to do so- the view is truly lovely from up here.”

Revali doesn’t say anything for a while. Mipha can’t make out his face from where she’s perched and wonders if he heard her at all. A few birds fly quietly overhead- Mipha watches them go by with quiet wonder. 

“It’s...no problem.”

His voice is so uncharacteristically quiet that, had Mipha not been so close, she likely would’ve missed it altogether. She hadn’t intended to turn the situation into something so heartfelt, but...how modest of him. It surely wasn’t like him to be so humble, even about something so small. She’d half expected him to spout off about how he’d never normally take passengers or how he’d never be doing this again for her but she’d been surprised...and pleasantly so, she thinks.

She hums lightly to herself, settling back into her previous position, causing Revali to jerk slightly. He coughs awkwardly.

“We’re landing in a few minutes, so don’t get too comfortable, will you? I’m not waking you up again, princess.” Revali’s self-assured tone is back now and Mipha can only really find it amusing-- modesty is not a thing that would last long for someone like him. Still, it was nice to see, even if only for a second, and in fairness, she’s so used to Revali already that she’s unsure if she could bear to see him act in any other fashion than overconfident. It would be strange- it would be like watching a dog try to act like a cat.

Mipha resists the urge to snuggle into Revali outright and merely rests her head down, “I will not fall asleep, don’t worry. Thank you, though…”

The last part is spoken almost inaudibly. Mipha doesn’t see the slight prickling of Revali’s cheeks as they begin to gradually descend upon the stone path leading up to Hyrule Castle.

* * *

“You were successful? That is a great relief!” 

Zelda’s beaming face really does seem to make all the hassle worth it. Mipha politely relinquishes ownership of the Sheikah Slate as the Champions meet Zelda in her very own study. Revali eyes the furnishings and notes scattered around silently as Zelda taps away skilfully on the slate.

“Yes. We apologise about the time we took to unearth the shrine- we did face a lot of...unexpected troubles but we prevailed, nonetheless.” Mipha smiles pleasantly and Zelda’s face lights up upon seeing the photos Mipha had taken. 

“I must thank you both. You’ve been an extraordinary help and I understand how busy you are. I just simply couldn’t entrust anybody else with this task.” Zelda swipes onto the next picture, marvelling at the depiction of the shrine, but Revali can’t imagine why. They all looked the exact same!

“It is our pleasure, princess. We are glad we could assist you.” 

Revali clears his throat gruffly, “Yes, yes, it’s perfectly within our capabilities. You now have your shrine and--” Revali trails off as Zelda’s face morphs into something unexpected. Her eyes bulge wide, lips pressed tightly together but, after a tense moment for both Revali and Mipha, it slowly upturns.

“Is...something the matter, princess? We  _ did  _ do as you asked.” Revali questions, raising an eyebrow and, as he turns to Mipha to share this moment of mutual perplexion, he’s equally surprised to see a similar expression of shock painted over Mipha’s soft features. What in the world was that…? Was he just missing something here? He felt very out of the loop.

Mipha quickly puts a hand to her lips. Oh...no, that must be it. She’d forgotten all about that! How silly of her-- and now the princess…!

Revali looks incredulously between the both of them. What was this about? Why did Mipha have that look on her face? Why was…

  
  


Why was the princess laughing?

Mipha hangs her head with a blush that could rival a hearty radish, “P-princess, I think...I might’ve...gotten a little bit distracted-- I apologise…” Mipha looks torn between covering her hands with her face and reaching out to pull the slate away from the princess’ eyes and she’s failing both actions miserably.

Zelda stifles an improper giggle behind the back of her hand, “I-Is that so? Did he not ask you to do this?” Zelda then turns to Revali but her mirth is suddenly put on pause when she registers that Revali clearly was not in on whatever the hell was going on here. She suddenly flips between Mipha and Revali, clearly unsure of what to make of it. Then, her cheeks flush ever so slightly in a manner very similar to Mipha herself, who looked like she was trying to psychically erase herself from existence.

“Would you two kindly tell me what’s going on?” Revali taps his talon impatiently, folding his arms and clearly growing irate. Revali doesn’t know what’s going on, Zelda doesn’t know what to  _ do  _ and Mipha doesn’t want to even  _ be  _ here.

Much to Mipha’s fear, Zelda composes herself a little more and flips the slate around to show Revali the source of amusement. Mipha doesn’t bear to gaze upon his reaction.

Zelda had initially feared that Revali would be angered by this- he’s not one to be made fun of at all but, to her delight, the familiar smirk that often donned his features broke out in full force as he chuckled, taking the slate. Waiting for him to say something, anything, is pure agony for Mipha, though it lasts just a few seconds.

“Well...you certainly  _ did  _ get distracted, didn’t you?” Revali comments with poorly stifled joy, “This isn’t at all what we were dispatched for and-- no, princess, I must say that I had no say in this whatsoever.” He turns to Zelda, giving her a charismatic wave of his wing as he holds the slate up for them both to see, “Though this  _ is  _ a pleasant surprise. You’re very adept at capturing these pictures, Mipha.”

Sure, it’s a compliment, but at what cost? Mipha cringes at hearing her own name as it really does cement her involvement in all of this and she just wants to go home. 

“It’s most definitely befitting of a Champion, I will say…” Revali isn’t even tactful about his teasing anymore but he holds the slate up as if he were going to take a picture, “Perhaps I should capture a moment of you, too...when you’re a little more composed, that is.”

Mipha peeks through her fingers to watch as Zelda suddenly grabs the slate with a marvellous grin on her face, “Revali, that’s an excellent idea!”

“Hm?”

“The Champions are all vital to the defeat of Calamity Ganon- you are all becoming important parts of Hyrule’s history. I think it would be most fitting to record memories of each of you to pass down through time-- and through your respective villages. Don’t forget, you are all heroes in your own right.” Her smile is warm and encouraging and Mipha actually feels pride welling in her chest and the will to do right by her own people. However, she is still recovering from the crippling embarrassment of taking that photo-- why had she even done that to begin with?

“That certainly isn’t a bad idea, princess.” Revali taps his beak habitually, “I’m sure Mipha would be an excellent candidate to record such pictures,” he grins over at Mipha and she immediately looks down at the floor. That crack in the stone sure was interesting. She wonders how it got there.

Revali, on the other hand, is loving every moment of this. He also did like the photo, too. It did well to capture his glory and the lighting was superb but it did nothing to overshadow the fact that Mipha had taken the photo for reasons known to nobody but her. Revali would merely assume that, well, why  _ wouldn’t  _ she take a picture of him? He would.

Zelda pockets the slate, clasping her hands in front of her, still smiling, “I will arrange something soon enough. Thank you both for your time, it is greatly appreciated.”

“You’re welcome, princess. I hope you don’t mind if we excuse ourselves-- I have training to return to and I’m sure Mipha has her own home to get back to as well.” Revali extends his wing in a parting gesture as he subtly nudges Mipha in the direction of the door. Zelda merely nods, “Of course. I will see you two again soon- I must go, now, anyway. Link will be accompanying me to Faron shortly. Safe travels.”

The two champions swiftly leave, politely closing the door behind them. Mipha makes an uncharacteristic amount of haste in the direction of the nearest exit, hoping Revali would take his own leave. Unfortunately, Hylia did not seem to be smiling upon her today as he kept up the pace with her. Oh, he definitely knew what was going on here. Mipha’s jewellery jangles as she speedwalks down the corridor, trident in hand.

“You’re very quick to leave, princess. Are you in a hurry?”

She can hear the amusement in his voice and, frankly, she doesn’t know what to say. It’s not even a bad situation but it’s making her insides twist up and her face feel far too warm. Still, she can’t stop the smile from blooming onto her face.

“Please...forgive me for what happened.” She pleads, “I really was just...growing distracted. I just found that function of the slate to be so interesting, I--”

She swallows her breath (and almost coughs it back up again in a manner most unceremonious) when Revali extends a wing and places a finger over her lips to silence her- his expression is smug and knowing, “Please, princess, there’s no need. I’m actually impressed- you did a remarkable job capturing my image. I merely wonder why this wasn’t brought to my attention beforehand. A little bit shy, are we?”

Mipha sort of feels herself giving in. Her eyes seem to be travelling everywhere but him but her face is no longer scrunched up and trying to hide. She titters, “Not at all,” she lies, “Though...I am relieved you liked it. To think we could capture such memories of people and keep them to look back on. Don’t you think that’s marvellous?”

She’s suddenly acutely aware of Revali’s eyes bearing down on her, as if looking straight through every part of her body but he smiles, “I can definitely see the wonder of it all, yes,” he chuckles as the two of them begin to walk slowly towards the front gates of the castle.

“I wonder...Revali, if you could keep a picture like that of anything in Hyrule, what would it be? I think for me it would most definitely be my father and my brother,” Mipha’s expression is almost dreamy at the thought of it, “Perhaps all three of us together as a family. That is a picture I would cherish til the end of my days.” 

Revali thinks on that for a moment. What would he want a picture of? It’s a tough choice, though there aren't many things in the world he desired to record.

“That’s quite a question. Well, naturally, I suppose it would be of myself...either at the Flight Range or on Vah Medoh.”

Mipha isn’t sure what she expected the answer to be, in all honesty. She can’t say she’s surprised but she does ask, “Why?”

Revali is back to gesticulating (and this time she doesn’t make the mistake of pointing it out) as he explains, “Well, it’s not for me. Think about it- I’d be outlived by a picture like that and it would be something that people could keep for who knows how long after I pass away. To think I could be preserved like that- cemented in history- would truly be incredible.”

There’s a sizable pause but, for the first time, Mipha actually feels like she understands Revali. Being able to be a part of history, something for people to learn about for years and years to come, that  _ would  _ be an honour. Even Mipha would be overjoyed to be memorialised in such a fashion just as much as she’d love to see snippets of Zora history from way back when.

Mipha looks up at him and her glowing expression mirrors that of her own emotions…whatever they were. She’s not even sure what they are but they’re definitely good. More than good. She feels almost excited by something. She’s come to learn a lot about Revali over the past few days and it was honestly quite a fulfilling experience for her. Hearing him say something that resonates with her fills her with delight.

“I think that’s a lovely idea, Revali. Truly.”

Revali’s expression is unreadable when she smiles up at him and it stays like that for some time as Mipha speaks. She’s sort of repeating her previous point and going around in circles but Revali doesn’t bother to point this out. It’s sort of pleasant to hear her speak, even if she is just mindlessly droning on. Her voice is so melodious and light- it sounds about as dainty as a harp and, though it’s quiet, it rings out and is really quite nice on the ears. Her accent, too, he finds satisfying to hear. It’s an accent common in royalty and most types of nobility, including the Zora royal family. Very distinct, he thinks, though his own accent isn’t too far from hers. 

They walk side by side down the corridor and down the stairs and, after a while, Mipha perks up, “Oh! I apologise, I’ve been talking for far too long.” She smiles shyly, looking up at Revali with her large amber eyes. Revali exhales, shaking his head but his smile is placid.

“It’s hardly a problem. Though, I think it’s worth pointing out that you will have to make your own way home this evening.” 

Mipha’s eyes widen in alarm, “Oh-- no, no, please don’t think I assumed you would do such a thing! Really, it was very kind of you to bring me here with you to begin with- I surely can’t expect you to do that again.”

“Really, princess, I told you already it was no problem,” he teasingly chides her, “I just thought I’d warn you in advance- though Zora’s Domain is closer to here than Rito Village so perhaps your journey won’t be too arduous.”

“I don’t imagine it will be.” Mipha replies lightly as they reach the enormous path that winds down the hill and to the large gates of Hyrule Castle, “But I have to say, flying with you really was an experience.”

“I should think so. Not many Rito take passengers like that, but there’s nobody in Hyrule that you’d be better off flying with than I.” He emits a confident laugh, “I hope my special ability was everything you imagined it would be. Though you seemed far too busy hiding your face in the back of my neck to really experience it, I would say.”

Mipha giggles, “Oh, that’s right, I had almost forgotten,” Revali looks a little incredulous at the very notion of being forgotten, “I was so taken by surprise-- all I could think about was falling from such a height and the only thing I could really do was...hold on you,” she trails off quietly, putting a finger to her chin in thought, “But from what I could feel, it was certainly impressive...if not a little...mortifying.” 

“Not the best compliment I’ve ever received but I suppose it’ll do,” he replies, humorously as they reach the gate, open but guarded. Nobody bats an eye at the two Champions as they pass by and this is the point where they must part ways.

Revali grinds to a halt, putting a hand on his hip as he formulates a goodbye. Mipha stands as prim as ever as he speaks, “Well, princess, I wish you a safe journey. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon, though I can’t say for sure when that’ll be.”

Mipha nods agreeably, “A safe journey to you, too. As for when we may see each other again…” her cheeks flush slightly as she says this, hidden partially by her hand, “Actually, I believe the princess is soon set to travel up Mt Lanayru. Did she extend her request to you?”

Revali rolls his head back in a gesture of realisation, “Ah, yes, that’s right, she did. I can’t imagine why she’d need us there at all but I suppose if I must go. With any luck, she’ll be able to unlock this fabled power of hers as well.”

“We can only hope for her success.” 

“Then,” Revali pauses for a moment, looking actually a little bit ruffled- very unlike him, “I suppose I will see you then.” He turns and kneels down in preparation to take off- an action now very familiar to Mipha. “Farewell, princess.”

Mipha doesn’t realise it but she instinctively braces herself in anticipation for the sudden gust of wind that accompanies Revali’s Gale and, for once, does not stumble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revali: ohoh why dont you tell me why you were taking pictures of me?  
> mipha: not now, im busy trying to find the nearest window


	11. It Awakens

The breeze that wraps around Mt Lanayru and settles upon its surroundings is brisk and reminds Revali of the mountains at home. The once-blue sky is now tainted a warm orange, bringing the day to an end, as all four Champions wait patiently at the east gate of Lanayru Road, watching as Zelda and her patient, protective knight, Link, approach through the light of the sunset. 

Though Zelda’s expression is unmistakably forlorn, she looks as radiant as ever. The stark white gown, worn only for the purpose of praying, wraps around her legs with the wind- with her fists clenched and shoulders squared, she looks...cold.

Link looks about as unreadable as ever, Revali thinks, but decides that this isn’t about him, as Daruk potters forward looking uncharacteristically worried. He towers far, far above the princess, almost having to lean over to speak to her.

“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense,” he says- it’s almost a plea, “How’d everything go up there on the mountain?”

Zelda almost walks right past him, eyebrows knitted together but, eventually, her tense expression dissipates and she looks utterly defeated- she shakes her head slightly, as if unable to even speak it. It doesn’t take long for the despair visibly welling up inside of her to infect the other Champions. The air is colder than it’s ever been before.

But Revali is used to brisk temperatures. He decides to approach the princess himself, inspecting her closely as he enquires, “So you didn’t feel anything? No power at all?” He doesn’t want to sound hopeful- the situation feels far from it- but a very small piece of him wishes for something, even just a thread, to hang onto and, by the looks of it, the princess felt the same way as she stares hard at the ground, replying, “I’m sorry...no.”

He can’t help but feel a bit bad for her. It was easy to say that sometimes talent didn’t come to people like it came to him but this was different. These were dire circumstances and they _know_ that Zelda is capable of unlocking the power- it’s in her blood and the blood of the many, many princesses that came before her. He can’t say for sure whether or not they faced the same hardships as their Zelda but they’d still done it. For Zelda to cut it this close, unable to reach out and grasp that sacred power, must be nothing short of...disgraceful and humiliating. 

“Then let’s move on.”

Like cutting through a sandstorm, Urbosa’s voice, clear and confident as ever, slices through the rather hopeless atmosphere that had been fuelled by Zelda’s failure. No doubt in times of great struggle, Urbosa is the first to get back up.

However, her eyes turn soft as she gazes at Zelda, almost fondly, “You’ve done all you could,” she tells Zelda, in a manner Revali might have mistaken for being reassuring, until she adds, “Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help.”

Well, it’s not like she’s wrong. A pity party wasn’t going to help them fight Ganon, no matter how much they wish it would. The quicker they, and Zelda, pulled themselves together, the better. Urbosa turns to take in the sight of the looming mountain as she continues, “After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mt. Lanayru.”

Again, that’s true, but the more time spent feebly attempting to unlock Zelda’s power, the more time Ganon spent growing stronger and becoming ready to emerge. Revali would much prefer to have this power sooner rather than later but it’s nothing he can help.

“Anything could finally spark the power to seal away Ganon.” 

Urbosa’s pacing is almost relaxing to watch as she settles next to Zelda and Mipha. 

“We just have to keep looking for that...thing.”

Mipha had also looked rather disappointed by the lack of appearance from this great, fabled power but she’d tried hard not to let it show. It didn’t do well to discourage the princess but Revali had spotted the telltale crease of the eyes that let him know she was becoming concerned.

Nonetheless, as Urbosa spoke, she’d perked up a little bit. Though Revali was watching her, he was unaware of the way Mipha’s gaze lingered on Link from just over Zelda’s shoulder as Zelda quietly murmurs, “That’s kind of you, thank you.”

For a moment, Mipha opens her mouth silently, wondering if...well, should she speak? She had no real right to give Zelda advice, especially on something that was far beyond her power but, having spied Link, it had struck her with a small realisation that could perhaps benefit the princess. Perhaps...it wouldn’t hurt just to mention it.

“If...I may,” she begins shyly, “I thought you…well, I’m not sure how to put this into words,” she falters for a moment- truly, speaking from the heart was quite the hurdle but, for the princess, she had to pull through, “I’m...actually quite embarrassed to say it,” she admits, “but I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind…”

She keeps her gaze fixated on the ground, not once daring to risk looking up and eyeing the root of her affections and the one responsible for her words, “It helps when I think- when I think about--”

She cuts herself off with a small gasp as the solid ground beneath her begins to tremble, threatening her balance but just as she thinks she has a grip on it, the trembling becomes violent shaking and she reaches out in a futile attempt to grab onto anything to steady herself. Due to the proximity, one of those things almost ends up being Revali.

To her surprise, he’s staggering around as well, wings out to keep his balance but, quick on his feet, he spins on his heel and Mipha feels the familiar blast of air that accompanies Revali’s Gale. She watches as he rockets up into the fading sky to assess the situation.

The wind feels far too cold for his liking- this wasn’t normal for this region of Hyrule and, though he desperately wishes the cold dread sitting in his gut is just a result of unwarranted anxiety, he can’t help but emit a gasp as the sight of spiralling darkness and tendrils of what he can only assume to be Ganon’s power fill his vision.

The sky, what was once a pleasant orange, is now becoming slowly blocked out by the stretch of unforgiving malice that is engulfing Hyrule castle. Revali can feel almost every feather on his body prickling uncomfortably as his eyes trace the large, morphing figure that seems to be galloping around the perimeter of the castle- red lightning accompanies it and when it strikes, causing the creature to emit a guttural roar unlike anything he’d ever heard, Revali fears he might fall out of the sky.

He retreats back to the other Champions, deftly landing next to Urbosa as she thickly states, “It’s here.” Nobody wants to say it but when it was staring them in the face, blacker than the void and radiating dread it’s not like they can deny it.

“This is it then.” Daruk tacks on, gruffly.

Mipha stumbles up to the rest of the group, staring up at the small, blackened portion of the sky that she can make out over the hilltops as she hesitantly asks, “Are you sure?” as if desperately hoping the answer could be no. 

Unfortunately for them all, Revali confirms it, with a simple, “Positive,” and Mipha feels her heart sink to her knees. Though this was the day they had all been training for, the day that had kept her awake for months and the day she dreaded may lead to the destruction of their land, she finds it hard to grip her trident and keep her head up. Not when what looked like the incarnation of darkness itself was knocking on their doorstep- and none too politely, either.

“It’s awake...Ganon!”

Zelda can only stare in disbelief, in horror, as the black mass begins to slowly stretch across the sky, looming closer towards them and her head is empty. She can barely even think about her role in all of this and how miserably she’d failed in playing her part before it had even started. She wobbles on the spot as Daruk hastily turns to her, “Let’s stop wasting time! We’re gonna need everything we got to take that thing down!”

Raising his arm, pointing at the offensive mass that was Ganon, he bellows, “Now, Champions! To your divine beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss!”

It’s a nice battle cry and, for a moment, Zelda is almost optimistic about the outcome.

“Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack!” he explains, “This needs to be a unified assault!” He then turns to Link, “Little guy, you get to Hyrule Castle!”

Revali eyes Link with utter disdain and he doesn’t even bother to hide it this time, huffing under his breath. That’s right, he’d almost forgotten. Though Zelda lacked her sacred power, this whole operation rested right on Link’s shoulders and, even now, he wasn’t too happy about it. He’s already thinking about how he’s going to have to juggle utilising Medoh and rushing to clean up the absolutely pigsear Link will inevitably make of this endeavour.

“You can count on us for support,” Daruk assures, as if challenging the thoughts going through Revali’s head, “but it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!”

Urbosa sweeps by, protectively placing her hands on Zelda’s shoulders- Zelda still looks utterly stricken, unable to tear her eyes away from impending doom, as Urbosa tells her softly, “Come, we should go. We need to get you someplace safe.”

However, Zelda’s once fearful expression slowly morphs into determinations- her brows lower and her eyes become fierce as she firmly states, “No.”

She then pries herself from the safety of Urbosa’s arms, “I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield...but there must-- there must be something I can do to help!” She almost seems to plead, eyes large and round, though she racks her brain for answers to her own question. Daruk can only scratch his head, unsure of what to make of this outburst. It’s not like he wants to push her away- she’s brave, that’s for sure, but the safety of their princess is still a priority, even with the immediate threat of Ganon.

“Princess…”

Zelda clasps her hands together, as if silently praying to Hylia for one last chance, but she’s unsure of what she’s even asking for anymore. Words fail her and she feels bitter when Urbosa puts an arm around her shoulders, “Please, princess, we must go. I cannot stay to defend you. We must all return to our Divine Beasts and prepare for our attack.”

“Don’t worry, Princess!” Daruk attempts to console her with a slightly optimistic tone, “Ganon won’t know what hit him! With the darkness sealing sword, Link can finish that thing off, no problem!”

Zelda can’t even bear to look at Link.

Mipha on the other hand, can’t bear to tear her eyes away from him. He was quite literally heading for the belly of the beast in the hopes of vanquishing Ganon and, though her trust and faith in him is eternal, she dreads what the outcome may be. She winces, feeling prickles at the corner of her eyes. Finally, pulling her gaze away, she looks up sadly at Revali, who doesn’t seem to look as confident as normal. That was...disappointing.

So much so that Revali can see it registering on her face- she hangs her head slightly and, though she looks defeated on the outside, inside she’s gearing up to battle. There’s no telling what the final result will be but she plans to give everything she has.

Revali’s eyes linger on Mipha as they begin to move away from the gate and though he wants nothing more than to head on out and fly straight back to Medoh, there’s something left. It’s not...bothering him, per se, but it feels very unfinished. Watching Mipha walk away fills him with a very bizarre sensation. It feels...almost hollow.

“Mipha.”

Mipha is surprised to hear him call her name but not as much as he is, hearing it from his own mouth. He’s almost unsure of what to say, having come this far, but he forcefully pushes down the hesitation and regains his regular haughty demeanour, “I understand that we are pressed for time but...I believe you were saying something before--”

He doesn’t dare say it directly. The swirling darkness that seems to be inching closer isn’t something easily forgotten. Mipha doesn’t even bother to look in that direction, but Revali can only assume she’s filling in the blanks.

“Do we really have time for this?” Urbosa almost barks at him, “We need to get the princess away and move.”

“I am _fully_ aware of that,” Revali suddenly spits at her and in a fashion far too volatile for the circumstance, “However, I believe it was you who said that ‘anything could spark the power to seal away Ganon’. He may be right on our doorsteps but that doesn’t mean there’s no hope left.”

He turns to Mipha with just the right amount of confidence she was looking for (too much), “Mipha, you were going to suggest something. What was it?”

Mipha stumbles suddenly, “Wh-- I...I mean, it’s...nothing, really. I wasn’t trying to--”

“Listen,” he cuts her off with force, “We don’t have all the time in the world but we’re going to have to take what we can get. If you have anything, now is the time for it.” Mipha listens intently, staring up at the earnest green eyes of the Rito Champion, yet there was a softness to them that spoke to her. Pleaded to her for her help and all she’d ever wanted to do was help so...why stop now?

She swallows thickly. The princess is lingering, too, as if desperate to hear Mipha’s words and the trembling fear beneath the skin that tells Mipha her words will mean nothing makes her feel nauseous but...well, Revali had been so convincing. He always was.

“What I was going to say is that...when I heal people, I think about...about the person I love the most!”

Zelda’s eyes widen fractionally, having not expected that particular answer. 

“When you’re doing something, whether it’s fighting or healing, you...you need a driving force behind you, something to give you power and it will make you strong! When I’m struggling to heal, I think about healing my most beloved person, I think about doing it for them and it always gives me the strength I need.”

Mipha’s gaze is intense and full of conviction as she speaks, freezing Zelda in her tracks and the other Champions, too, “You may have the entire kingdom of Hyrule on your side, but sometimes that isn’t the right motivation. There must be someone you love. Someone you want to save the world for, someone who you cannot let go no matter what-- use your power for them! It’s right there, we all know it!”

Zelda suddenly turns away, blonde hair flowing behind her, as she faces the distant threat, unable to bear looking at the fellow Champions she’d failed. However, this really was only because Mipha’s words had struck a chord inside her. Someone she loved…? Her mind failed her.

“It’s alright, princess.” Mipha says softly, “You don’t need to be scared. That person is with you. That force will keep you going! That’s what we’ll use to defeat Ganon!” 

Perhaps she’d become overzealous towards the end, clenching her fists with newfound determination, but it felt overwhelmingly good. Though the pep talk was for Zelda, it had invigorated her spirit and her previous anxieties felt washed away. She turns back to Revali, the one who had initially spurred this outburst and she spies an expression she hadn’t seen before, yet found delightful.

He looked...almost impressed. In fact, he _did_ look impressed! There was no disdain on his face that he usually wore in the presence of the other Champions. His eyebrows were perked up in a fairly optimistic expression, eyes shining and mouth pulled in an odd little smile that brought Mipha the same euphoria that she felt when thinking about Link. 

Link also looks quite happy with her words. If he wasn’t ready to fight Ganon before, he sure was now but…

...Zelda trembles slightly. She squeezes her eyes shut so tightly they threaten tears, clutching at the fabric of her dress. The person she loved. If she couldn’t unlock her power at long last...what would happen to that person? She’d fail them as much as she’d failed everybody else.

When she thinks of love, the first thing to flash in her mind was…what? She brings a hand to her face, concealing her eyes as if trying to hide from the outside. Love. What does it bring her? What does she see when she thinks of love?

It’s...a flash of blonde hair.

It’s not hers, but nearly the same shade. Wildly unkempt, though it’s not meant to be.

The dainty point of Hylian ears. Those, too. They’re pale in shade, flushing red in the snow and neatly decorated with navy-blue earrings that seem to look so refined.

And the eyes. Bright blue eyes. Bluer than any sky and any sea, shining in any weather, come rain or sun and overwhelmingly observant. There’s always there, even when she’s not looking at them. They see the things she does and politely turn away from the things they know she’d rather they didn’t see. Considerate.

Those three things suddenly make a whole picture in her head and though her eyes are closed and he’s standing only a few feet away from her, it’s like he’s in her head and in her consciousness. He’s right there. Smiling at her with the same mess of blonde hair, the same slight point of the ears and the warm glow of the eyes.

Just thinking about it suddenly makes her feel warm too. It was new, for sure, but now that it was here, she can’t help but feel like she’d been fighting this off. Avoiding it, but what for? The warm rush in her chest, like the running of warm water, travels up, covering both of her shoulders like a protective blanket and, in a sense, that was what he did. From there, it went up the back of her neck, sending every little hair up on end on its way up, tingling over her scalp, flushing through her cheeks, prickling the back of her eyes and settling in the palms of her hands.

Warm. She felt warm, even though the air and the situation were cold and dire. It was like he was fighting off the cold for her from within. It made her feel...safe. Protected. Secure. She felt like she was at home. Even when far away from Hyrule Castle, bringing him along felt like bringing along a small piece of home with her. It was comforting.

She can’t quite make out the ruckus of whatever is happening behind her, instead favouring the newfound warmth. True, for the time being, she may be hiding from the cold, darkness of the world but...just for a moment...for a sense of security, she gives herself this much.

She then becomes acutely aware of the even stranger sensation in her hands. It wasn’t like the comforting warmth from before, it was more like a shock to the system. It wasn’t quite numbing but it felt like a sensation not meant for a Hylian. A sensation unable to truly be felt but the little pricks she can feel make her feel dizzy. 

“Princess!”

She pulls her hands away, like pulling her head out of water with a light gasp, wincing at the suddenly blinding light she’d just exposed herself to as she inspects her hands at arms length. It was like...holding the sun. Holding whatever brought warmth into the world, yet the warmth felt so refreshing. For a sensation so brand new, it felt strikingly familiar and the floods of tears that overwhelm her, staining her cheeks and dripping from her chin are something she barely comprehends.

She’s unaware of the mark of the triforce now adorning the back of her hand but, really, she doesn’t need to know. She turns on her heel with such force it’s like knocking the rest of the world back into its place as she begins to stride towards Link.

“You and I- we’re going to the castle! We’re going to beat Ganon!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha: we have to fight with love  
> ganon: *appears*  
> mipha: link take your clothes off we have to fight with love


	12. Let's Start the Fight

Though the wind is colder than ever, the warmth of Mipha’s kind words fend off the bitter chill that bristles through Revali’s feathers. He can see Medoh from here, floating off in the sky above Rito Village, patiently awaiting his return so that their battle against Ganon can begin. He’s more ready than ever, practically vibrating with energy- his fingers are twitching, itching to feel the snap of a bowstring. This was going to be a most marvelous victory.

He’s fully armed, too. Sure, the threat of the monsters that roamed Hyrule were enough to warrant it but it was for this very moment that he kept himself fully stocked up on arrows and whatever he could use to boost his energy, though, at the moment, it doesn’t seem like he’ll need it. His heart is pounding painfully from within his ribcage, hitting the underside of his chest and leaving a lingering ache that lets him know this fight will be a good one.

The sky blue scarf, adorned with the mark of Medoh and so lovingly crafted by Zelda, whips behind him in the harsh wind. He has the farthest to travel out of any of the Champions- were he unable to fly, he would, no doubt, be very late to the party. At this rate, however, he reckons he’ll get there long before the others will. As for Link and Zelda…

He’d never seen Zelda command anyone so forcefully. Urbosa definitely had words but they were futile against the rock-solid determination of the princess, who demanded to accompany Link to fight against Ganon. However...that glowing light, the radiating warmth he’d felt emanating from her-- it could only be one thing. They were ready.

Of course he’ll admit that, without him, this wouldn’t have happened. Had he not given Mipha the push she’d needed to say what she’d intended to earlier, the situation could be very grim indeed. There was no way he was going to let anybody forget that. Supporting Link, his ass.

He doesn’t bother to stop by the village. There was no time, though he did wish to stop for a moment, even if to reassure the other Rito that he would fight valiantly to keep their home, and Hyrule, safe. He can imagine the stress in the village at the moment- the same goes for every other village in Hyrule. He can only hope they can keep themselves safe for now.

He does descend slightly to swoop over the village so he can check the state of things. Medoh flies diligently overhead and, though the Rito seem to be nervously observing the chaos from the distance they’re at, they don’t seem to be in a massive uproar. However, the more seasoned Rito warriors of the village are standing defensively around the village. That probably hadn’t even been a direct order to any of them- that’s just how they are.

Revali looks up at Medoh, getting ready to ascend up to board the Divine Beast before a shrill whistle catches his ears. His heart stops, fearing danger from down below but, when he squints down at the spiralling structure of his village, he can see someone waving from the landing.

“Revali!”

They emit another shout and it’s not fearful at all, it’s...almost excited. It’s encouraging and it’s not just the one Rito- there are several all leaning out of their huts, waving their wings and whistling. Several soon turn to many and now it feels like the entire village has their eyes on him. They’re...cheering.

They’re cheering for  _ him _ . 

He’s...breathless- and not just because he’d been flying. The village soon erupts into yells of support and encouragement for their Champion and it’s euphoric. He’s not felt anything like this and it suddenly dawns on him that this--  _ this  _ is why he’s doing what he’s doing. The village has their faith in him, they’re trusting him to fight Ganon and they’re trusting him to protect their home and, if it wasn’t too much to ask, return a hero. 

And he was more than happy to oblige them. 

He can’t help the grin that stretches across his face, eyes creased in elation and even though the scenario he finds himself in is deadly, a laugh escapes him. He whips around, spiralling up into the air towards Medoh as he extends a wing to his friends and peers below. 

“I’ll be back soon!”

Strangely, that’s the only thing he can bring himself to say. He had to yell it with all of his might, hard enough to scratch at his throat and he feels as if he’s strained his vocal chords to the point of snapping but that was okay. If they could hear it, that was okay.

Their cheers become distant as he ascends sharply, flying with all of his might and landing gracefully atop Medoh’s wing. He habitually dusts himself off a tad before setting off in a confident stride.

“Well, Medoh...it’s our time to shine.”

Hard to believe this day was coming, though. He’d spent a lot of time up here, finding solace in the pleasant silence and solitude that the Divine Beast provided. It was as if Medoh enjoyed being up here just as much as he did and, for that, he has a special fondness for the oversized stone bird. Strange to have a fondness for something (debatably) inanimate but it wasn’t like Medoh lacked a spirit. He knew it was there. It wasn’t a spirit like his but he could feel it just below the surface every time he flew aboard the vessel.

Many a lazy, peaceful day was spent atop Medoh, basking in the sunlight. Days that were totally bereft of Ganon and, in all honesty, he was kind of looking forward to going back to that. Not to be mistaken, he doesn’t plan to ditch his days as a Champion or the pride that will inevitably come with taking down Ganon once and for all, but...the lazy days were nice, too.

And who knows, perhaps he’ll be able to bring Mipha up here, too.

He smirks to himself, almost becoming lost in his own thoughts as he makes a beeline for the main power unit sitting dead centre on the top of Vah Medoh. First, to activate this and then get to a good vantage point to scope out Ganon. He’ll deliver a blow to that monstrosity that’ll be unforgettable. Hell, he might even accidentally steal Link’s spotlight and take him down with that alone. Wouldn’t that be a sight.

He doesn’t need the Sheikah slate to be able to activate it, being Vah Medoh’s pilot, but as he reaches out to switch it in gear, an icy, prickling and downright awful feeling shoots through the ends of his nerves, up through his veins and spread across his body like a virus. It almost causes him to tumble over and he’s barely able to dodge the sudden eruption of dark matter that spews from the cracks of the control unit, pooling into a growing mass that looms directly over him, far too close for comfort.

* * *

Mipha stumbles backwards, almost toppling over, as the shallow pool of water splashes around her feet. Her trident is as sharp as ever, ready to fight but, in comparison to the hulking entity that’s materialising practically above her, it seems to pale. 

Whatever this  _ thing  _ to come crawling out of the control unit was, it looked incredibly nasty. Its form is awkward and hard to gauge properly- a mess of big black shapes and odd edges, some of it made up of technology far too reminiscent of the artifacts made by the Sheikah. Not that she has the time to wonder but, though she rightly assumes this is a creation of Ganon, she wonders if its roots belong with the Sheikah. Could they even make something like this? Had this just been hiding in her Divine Beast the whole time?

The thought makes her slightly sad. Ruta didn’t seem to do anything wrong and she can’t imagine being plagued by a dark being is all too pleasant. It must be a little bit like being unwell so, though the mass towers far, far over her, she brandishes the Lightscale Trident in preparation for a fight to defend Ruta, her home and her land.

The presence of an enormous blue-- what was that, a spear? A harpoon? Whatever it is, she doesn’t like the look of it and edges as far away as she can within the confines of the room. It was simple enough, she thinks to herself with a sigh, all she had to really do was dispatch this sudden intrusion and then get ready to attack Ganon with Ruta. She really hadn’t expected this sudden appearance, though, and wonders if this was happening to the other Champions.

To Revali. Was he having a similar problem? Well, no matter. Though her concern for him is deep, having grown an awful lot over the past few weeks (comparable to mould, she thinks) she can already hear his boisterous, confident voice in her head, assuring her that he is in no real trouble. He was always on his guard and always ready for a fight-- and the way he’d boasted about being able to take down Ganon himself? She trusts he’s good on his word.

She barely has time to dart out of the way before the aforementioned fish-hunting implement the blight appears to be wielding shoots out and lodges itself crudely into the floor, right at the point where Mipha had been standing. The trident twirls effortlessly through her fingers as she breaks out into a sprint towards the blight, launching herself from the floor and attempting a slash in its direction.

She only manages to get in a shallow hit before, to her surprise, the blight begins to dematerialise into vibrant strands of blue, swirling and spiralling all the way to the other side fo the room before morphing back into its previous form. So that’s the game it wanted to play? Stamina might not be Mipha’s greatest asset but if she could finish this quickly it wouldn’t be a problem.

From this angle, looking up at the enormous black mass, she’s reminded of the Hinox she and Revali had slain not too long ago. It had been a marvelous joint effort and resulted in an overwhelming victory for them both, one of which she was actually rather proud of.

This...was just like that, right? This would just be like fighting the Hinox, but...this time without Revali. That was okay though, she could do this. She was...sure she could do this.

Her eyes crinkle as she gazes up at the large foe with a bland expression.

* * *

Revali, on the other hand, was far more deeply embroiled in his battle with the blight infecting Vah Medoh. He’s not sure who to thank for the fact this fight is taking place out in the open sky and not within the restrictive, claustrophobic confines of Medoh but whoever it may be, he doesn’t think they deserve it. He almost regrets wishing for a fight but this also worked out- after all, he would have this battle under his belt and then he would move onto Ganon. 

The blight dissipates into a whirlwind of neon blue, darting from place to place before settling back and reforming- Revali takes aim once more and delivering a bomb arrow straight into its sole, unblinking eye. It shudders momentarily, almost as if it’s dazed by the attack, before shaking it off. The enormous contraption welded to its arm glows dangerously as it aims right for Revali.

Flying around aimlessly isn’t going to cut it- this thing can  _ aim  _ and he’ll need to be light on his wings and sharp as a tack to narrowly miss the shots it will fire. He’s never seen firepower like this before, though he’s more horrified by the appearance of the blight to be impressed.

His breath hitches suddenly as he scans the stretch of Medoh’s wingspan. For a moment, he though he’d seen...no, that was impossible. 

For a moment...he’d thought he’d seen a flash of red, darting across beneath him. 

He deftly dodges an attack from the blight, watching it fade away from view, though surely only momentarily. With a flap of the wings, he ascends sharply in the hopes of gaining some height on it. He’s in no situation to test it but if the blight was residing within Medoh, he can only assume that it’s shackled to it to some degree. Surely, it could only go so high but, in turn, so could he.

He takes aim, feeling the almost pleasant stretch of the bowstring beneath his feathers that is a stark contrast to the harrowing experience he was facing. As the arrow flies from his bow, he dodges awkwardly to the right, hoping to scrape past the sprayed shot let loose by the blight, only to get caught on the underside of his wing. He recoils with a sharp hiss, flicking his wing out in an attempt to shake the pain off. That hadn’t just hurt, that had  _ burnt _ .

He doesn’t check for damage. Not yet, anyway. Bracing through the pain, the string of the Great Eagle Bow is pulled back with the wing that isn’t tattered, loaded with three bomb arrows, fizzing delightfully. 

He almost falters as a memory judders somewhere within his adrenaline-riddled brain. He can picture Mipha scuttling across the sand, trident in hand, and an adorably fierce look of determination plastered over her face. The Hinox was ugly enough from above- he dreads to think how hideous the view she’d witnessed from below had been.

But, despite the dire situation, the memory had triggered a smile to flicker briefly across his features. However, he can’t profess to be all too happy, even when reminiscing, because if he was facing off with a brutal, Ganon-made adversary, who  _ knows  _ what the others were doing. The very thought of a blight, one akin to the monster screeching beneath him, towering over poor Mipha makes him wince. Not that he’d ever slight her or her abilities but...well, he was beginning to lose his breath and he was  _ built  _ for stamina.

That was fine though. For sure, he’d finish up here, he’d utilise Medoh’s formidable offensive capabilities to blast a hole right through Ganon and then fly off towards Lanayru’s hills to assist his...friend? Companion?

...colleague.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha: wow we sure are gonna beat ganon!  
> waterblight ganon: :^)  
> mipha: :/


	13. Oblivion

Mipha swallows thickly and it’s like trying to choke down rubble. Her throat is sore and scratched as she lays in a crumpled heap on the floor. One side of her face is swollen with bruises, accompanied with a blackened eye and an aching jaw. The other side of her face is uncomfortably pressed against the floor- she hacks and the shallow water ripples violently around her face as she plants a weak hand down in a feeble attempt to push herself up.

The Lightscale Trident-- well, who  _ knows  _ where that’s gotten to now. It’ll be lying somewhere around here if it wasn’t already broken. As for that blight, she doesn’t dare look up. It’s shifting somewhere around this room and the fact she hasn’t been skewered yet is nothing short of a miracle. Did it want her alive or dead? At this point, she’s not sure what she’d prefer.

She curls up, trying not to wince and exacerbate the pain, squeezing her eyes shut as she silently hopes. She prays. However, perhaps uncharacteristically of her, her mind does not rush to the warm, comforting visual of Link as it normally does. Instead, her brain is plagued with the colour of navy blue feathers and shimmering emerald eyes. Though her body is burning and the water around her nauseatingly hot, the sensation the images provide are fresh and invigorating, even through the searing pain.

She grits her teeth and painfully, desperately hopes, though for what, she doesn’t know.

* * *

A harsh, venomous growl bubbles at the bottom of Revali’s throat causing a slight regurgitation that stings his tongue with a coppery taste. His left wing sizzles under the burn of the blight’s firepower and his right wing he can’t even feel. He’s not even sure it’s there anymore but it doesn’t stop him from pressing the bridge of his beak forcefully against the solid platform beneath him and straining to prop himself up. His head throbs under the pain of it, rippling through his skull but the chill of the high altitude does nothing to numb it. Seems like the world wouldn’t even allow him that much.

His bow was undoubtedly broken by now and the arrows scattered uselessly around Medoh would do little for him now. Not unless he planned to throw them by hand but the facetious idea of it only brings Revali just a touch more grief. How had things turned out like this? This was merely a facet of Ganon’s true power and the fact it had managed to best him in such an unforgiving, merciless manner makes him feel sick.

The haunting blips of the distress signal drown out the ominous sound of the blight materialising behind him and his eyes burn with intrusive droplets.

And yet, lying here in the consequences of his own failure and his own inadequacy, he allows himself to soothe the pain with the kind images of a relaxing shade of royal red and sweet, honey-coloured eyes. As undeserving of it as he thinks he is, he closes his eyes and the desires of the corporeal world vanish in favour of this little sliver of bliss.


	14. Clear Sky

Hyrule is...a mess. Hyrule Field is next to decimated and Hyrule castle is devastated and falling apart. Castle Town sits in ruins and the surrounding villages are barely standing.

But the sky is blue. 

It’s clear and it’s clean. The darkness is gone, replaced by cool air and bright surroundings. The warmth that the land once held is no more but the fresh breeze that gently tickles the grass and trees washes away the dregs of Ganon’s power. It’s a new start.

Zelda’s grip on Link’s calloused hand is loose as she favours the desire to see the remains of her kingdom than to cling onto him. The two of them, heroes in their own right, stumble out into the open and their eyes follow the horizon that stretches out before them. It’s a mess, it’s a ruin but it’s still there and so are they.

Zelda has never felt more alive. It’s as if she can hardly believe it- the hand gripping Link’s squeezes slightly, confirming his existence, whilst the other absentmindedly runs over her cheeks, confirming hers. They’d made it.

What about the others, though? Their carefully planned attack-- she’s unsure whether to say it failed but it had certainly fallen through. Just where was the joint assault and the support from the Champions? Where...were they?

She wants to quiver. She wants to collapse to her knees and let the emotion that’s bubbling on the underside of her skin break through and erupt in a flurry of feeling but right now, she needs to stand strong. She needs to stand stronger than anybody else in Hyrule because she was the pillar that would hold this land up.

Even in the face of adversity, in the face of Ganon and in the belly of the beast- with the loss of her father, the devastation of her home and the uncertainty of the future... she felt stronger than ever. They were still here and that was enough to give her the drive she needed.

She looks back at Link. He’s holding onto her as much as she’s holding onto him but he lingers behind her to let the princess have her time. Words fail her- thoughts fail her but the warm, hopeful feeling that’s sparking in her hand and flushing through her veins; that would never fail her. She knows that now.

After a quiet moment, a soft crease forms over her forehead- she glances over at Link, “Why...why didn’t the Divine Beasts attack? Do you think the Champions are alright?”

Though he doesn’t say it, Zelda knows he worries for their safety as much as she does. The grim line his mouth is set into doesn’t fill her with hope, unfortunately. The wind, once a gentle breeze, suddenly whips past, sending Zelda’s golden locks of blonde flying behind her.

“We must go to them. Quickly.”

* * *

Mipha doesn’t remember the last time she ever healed herself. It’s not something she needs to do often, thankfully, but it’s remarkably tricky. The results of her healing were better when performed with a clear head but the alarming sea of red around her and the unmistakable sensation of snapped bone weren’t exactly providing tranquility. Nonetheless, she perseveres because...well, she  _ really  _ didn’t have a choice. 

Injuries aside, her head was already a flurry of anxiety- between worrying about Revali, worrying about Link and worrying about Sidon, the state of the Domain  _ and _ the fate of Hyrule, she had no idea what to even start with. The once vibrant bubble of azure that shimmered with the miraculous effects of her healing powers was now flickering a dull blue around what Mipha can deduce to be the most critically damaged part of her body. It was hard to gauge, though, considering the horrid, blistering pain was crawling over every inch of her body.

She sighs weakly, biting her bottom lip as she allows a few meagre tears to fall from her cheeks and disappear into the water around her. She’s barely able to keep herself upright, having to lie partially on her side and clutch at her abdomen and every time she lifts her head she sees nothing but a sea of static.

Dropping her head, she heaves slightly trying to rein in the barrage of awful sensations assaulting her from every conceivable angle and desperately trying to take her mind away, to think of something that would bring her maybe just a little bit of hope. A little bit of happiness.

Where would that happy place be…?

That happy place felt like...a warm beach. Soft sand. Gentle, lapping waves. The peaceful bristle of the trees and perhaps a companion, too…

Those relaxing days. Before Ganon. Before any of this darkness. Even just for a little bit. For a single second of a warmth that didn’t feel like the blood pooling around her body.

Those feathers had been so warm…

…

“Mipha!”

Mipha tries to swallow but it hits harsh against the back of her throat and she sputters weakly, doing her best to lift her head up. The sound of splashing water grows closer and closer but she isn’t afraid. She doubts she has the energy or the blood to be afraid. 

She does her damndest to keep herself upright, though. She’s unsure of what’s really going on, feeling a hot sensation on her shoulder, cradling her left side and, squinting through the impenetrable blurs clouding her vision, she can just about make out the striking colour of bright blonde hair.

“Mipha! What happened to you?!”

Mipha soon identifies the shrill squeal as the voice of the princess and she immediately relaxes into Zelda’s arms. It wasn’t a sunny beach, nor was it the warm tickling of soft feathers but it was hope and happiness all the same.

“Princess…” she croaks, “You are alright...thank goodness,” her hands grip onto the closest part of Zelda that she can reach, just to make sure she was really there as she mumbles, “Thank goodness…”

That could only mean they’d survived. The blight was no longer here, terrorising the confines of Vah Ruta. There was no darkness to be sensed nearby so...did that mean Ganon was really gone? Gone for good? Had they done it?

A warm sensation, almost like the sting of a nettle, spreads across Mipha’s back and she cranes her neck painfully to look over her shoulder. It’s hazy and drifting away from her but she could recognise Link’s face through a sandstorm and her cheeks bulge as she smiles wide.

“Link...you did it, didn’t you? You saved us.”

Her pride in him is immeasurable. She wants to reach out to him- to hold onto him- and never let go. Her body is far too weak as it is now and, though she’s smiling through the pain, Link’s expression is still solemn. She wonders if he’s happy to see her at all.

“Mipha, we must get you to safety! Your wounds are-- they’re awful! Link, please, help me dress them.” Zelda very carefully hands Mipha over to Link and her wish to lay peacefully in his soothing embrace is coming earlier than she’d expected. What luck. 

Link swallows, still very unnerved by the situation, as Zelda begins to tear up long strips from her robe. An important garment it may be but any life was more precious than that. She doesn’t hesitate to rip out some makeshift bandages, hurrying to apply them to the most brutal cuts.

“You’ve both done so well…” Mipha praises quietly and Zelda doesn’t like the fact she’s speaking as if she were on her deathbed already. She pointedly ignores the copious amount of blood surrounding them as she tightly knots the bandage around Mipha’s arm.

“Mipha, please, you must tell us what happened. How did you get like this?”

Of course. The blight. It’s something she won’t soon forget but she had no real idea how it had come to be here. All she could really deduce was that it was a creation of Ganon. She whimpers quietly as Zelda skilfully applies another bandage.

“The other Champions...where are they?”

Urbosa, Daruk...

...and Revali. Where were they? Could they be in the same state she was in? Or, even worse, could they already be dead? She frantically looks between Zelda and Link, desperately attempting to gauge answers from their empty expressions.

“We...have not seen them yet. We came to you first as you were the closest.”

With strength that would belie her poor condition, Mipha wrestles free of Link’s hold, eyes wide as she pleads to Zelda, “No--no you must go to them! Please! I am fine, I…” she coughs, evidently contradicting her own words, “...I have the capability to heal myself. I do not need much but-- but the others may be in worse states than I!”

This time she turns to Link, looking up at him with those familiar honey-coloured eyes that he’d always known to hold kindness, “Link, please, go and find the other Champions! I beg of you.”

Her eyes flash with awful images of what could be. A heap of molten mess that could be Daruk. A battered and bloody Urbosa with no life left to move. A limp heap of skewered feathers, all dull navy in colour. Her eyes well up with large tears.

Link already knows he has to. He worries about Mipha’s state but...he trusts her. She’s never done him wrong but he’s aware of her selfless-to-a-fault personality. His eyebrows crease with a frown but he nods, slowly placing her back in the care of Zelda as he gets to his feet.

“Thank you, Link…”

Zelda looks up at him- she’s not sure what to say and he sure as hell won’t say anything now so she quietly resigns herself to nodding and allowing him to dash off in search of the other Champions. Zelda and Mipha are left behind and, when the ripples of the water die down, the room is bathed in silence.

Mipha finds it peaceful. Strange, considering the awful condition she’s in, but there’s little more she can really wish for now.

She makes a feeble attempt to sit upright. Zelda opens her mouth to protest her hasty actions but no real sound emerges.

“Princess, if you would be so kind...if you would take me back to the Domain, I will be fine there. I’m sorry to ask this of you after you’ve done so much.”

Before she’s even finished speaking, Mipha suddenly feels herself being hoisted up in a feat of what seemed like herculean, Goron strength. For a moment, she would’ve thought Daruk had turned up but, instead, the princess held her Zora counterpart close with a thin line set into her forehead.

“I beg you not to finish that sentence,” Zelda says firmly, “For the work that you have done as a Champion in our fight against Ganon-- compared to you, my efforts have been unacceptable. I will do everything I can now...if only to repay your bravery.”

Mipha swallows down the lump in her throat but, if the pain in her neck was anything to go by, that probably wasn’t a good sign. Her body begins to rock in synchronicity with Zelda’s movements as she leads them towards the exit.

“I wish you wouldn’t speak like that, princess. You’ve really exerted yourself in preparation for this fight-- the other Champions will agree that you’ve put in more effort than any of us.”

Zelda pushes down a sigh and shakes her head as they step out into the open air- Mipha doesn’t remember it being so cold, though. “You’re very kind but it’s no matter. Right now, I will do everything to fix the damage that Ganon has done. Though I still must know-- just what happened to you…?”

Mipha sighs, allowing herself to find comfort in the arms of the princess as she slowly begins to recall her nightmarish experience.

  
  


* * *

Link had managed to see the true extent of the devastation that had racked Hyrule mere hours earlier on his journey to seek the remaining Champions. The littered ruins of the Guardians, once seemingly allies, dotted around the kingdoms landscape were an ugly sight to see. They riddled the rolling plains of Hyrule Field like poxy spots on skin, spreading through the land like a vile disease though, alongside the fall of Ganon, they now ceased to function.

Link never really liked the look of those Guardians. Zelda loved them- they were a testament to the supreme technological endeavours of the Sheikah. Relics of thousands upon thousands of years old. To him, it didn’t mean as much. He had his suspicions as to whether or not they’d really do the job but they hadn’t proved very much after all of this. He decides he won’t mention that to Zelda.

Now, tracking down each of the Champions by himself in a short span of time was basically an impossible feat. If their current states were anything like Mipha’s, they would be dead long before he got to them. Luckily, however, in amongst the wreckage and rubble of their home, emerged the people who would no doubt piece everything back together. He was surprised to see quite a few members of the Royal Guard still stumbling about, having assumed they’d perished along with everybody else in the castle. 

He knows they’ll all jump the hurdle of the fallen when they get to it. He sends a small group of the remaining soldiers out into the desert to search for Urbosa, an even smaller group out towards the mountains to find Revali and he, himself, would head straight to Death Mountain to seek out Daruk. He doubts anyone will be too sore if he were to borrow an elixir or two to make the journey and the Gorons would be more than happy to oblige. With any luck, they might’ve found him already.

Zelda had taken Mipha back to Zora’s Domain, just as she’d requested. Luckily for them, the domain remained untouched by the Guardians, mostly due to lack of direct access, but treading carefully past the empty shells made it clear they’d definitely tried. 

The Zora were in uproar by the time they returned but, though Mipha’s state was less than adequate, they were mostly relieved she was still alive. Still, Zelda couldn’t bear to look any of them in the eye.

The water pooling by her feet, soaking the finely chiselled architecture, feels cool against her toes and really quite calming, despite the situation.

She sits outside the throne room, right around the back, out of sight of the many denizens of the domain. The most skilled healers in the area were busy doing what they did best in the attempt to save Mipha’s life and, though Zelda remains positive that she will be okay, she couldn’t help but believe otherwise. Mipha’s father had been fretting the moment they stepped through the gate- she can’t blame him- and she feels like she owes him some kind of explanation.

Mipha’s story of the blight that had infested Vah Ruta had shocked her. She hadn’t expected it in the slightest but, in the face of the abandoned Guardians, it was all too clear what Ganon’s plan had been. She’d...severely underestimated the situation. The same formula wasn’t going to work  _ every  _ time and, who knows, perhaps Ganon had learnt since the last cycle.

She worries for the other Champions, too. Link is most likely running at full speed to find them all whilst she was just sitting here...waiting. Even when she had to practically drag her back home, Mipha had insisted that she would aid in healing the Champions, should they be injured too, and Zelda can feel herself being dwarfed by comparison.

It didn’t matter though. This wasn’t about her. She really was just thankful Hyrule had survived. It was just...very, very bittersweet.

Zelda is so wrapped up, so enveloped, in the onslaught of memories and thoughts that are tinged with the sweet tang of honey and the sharp sting of pepper. She’s staring at something far away and she doesn’t notice the very large pair of eyes watching her from behind the end of the wall.

The eyes stay there for quite some time. Silently watching. Every now and then, there’s a curious tilt of the head and it’s only when Zelda spots the slight movement out of the corner of her eye does she squint over in that direction.

Her heart sinks a little bit.

“Oh...hello, Sidon.”

Recognising his own name from the lips of the princess, Sidon shyly pops a head out from behind his hiding spot, curious eyes large and shiny. Zelda is relieved to see that he’s alright but she’s unsure if she can face him right now.

Did he have any idea what was going on…?

Sidon pauses for a moment. He’s by himself, it seems- there are no guards or other people loitering around this area of the domain so, for now, it’s just the two of them. Guess Sidon didn’t have very much to do right about now, other than wait. Zelda supposes that was something they had in common.

Soon enough, Sidon leaves his spot and toddles up to sit next to Zelda on the wall- she makes sure to tap the spot next to her to make him feel welcome, but she can’t stop thinking-- did he know what was happening to Mipha? Is that why he was here?

She feels like she’s betrayed him, in some way.

“Are you alright?”

Sidon nods- the tail part of his head bobs along when he does as he rhythmically kicks his feet back and forward, staring hard at the ground. 

“That’s good, then. I’m...glad you’re safe.”

It seems that, though he’s chosen to linger here, Sidon doesn’t have very much to say- or, if he did, he wasn’t sure how to go about it. Zelda can understand that. It was a very perplexing situation to be in. She remains silent, watching the small reflections of light flashing over his jewellery, lighting up little spots across the floor.

After a while, he finally speaks.

“Um...is my sister okay?”

Zelda had desperately dreaded this particular line of conversation. She’d hoped he wouldn’t start enquiring about Mipha, purely because she wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t sure what he needed to hear.

She wasn’t sure how aware of the situation he was.

Nonetheless, she flashes a small smile in the hopes of reassuring him, “Mipha will be fine. She’s very strong...but I’m sure you already know that,” it’s an attempt to elicit some kind of good mood but it’s not working well for either of them. Sidon still looks remarkably downcast. He contemplates that for a moment, before mumbling, “Do you promise…?”

Zelda doesn’t like making promises she might not be able to keep but she grits her teeth, promising herself the same thing, albeit unsurely, “I promise.”

This seems to be just enough for the little boy- he begins to smile and Zelda can just about make out the glittering row of razor sharp teeth hiding behind possibly the most adorable face she’s ever seen. It was really quite deceptive but it prompts her to think- she’d never seen Mipha grin in the same fashion as Sidon. She’d never been able to spot those alarmingly serrated teeth on Mipha before. Surely, she must have them yet the very thought of it seems almost uncharacteristic of the little Zora princess. What an odd thought.

Sidon’s smile grows into a wide beam- his leg kicking is growing more excited as he chirps, “My sister brought me a present from an island! Do you wanna see it?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer, leaning up and thrusting his chubby wrist in front of Zelda’s nose, showing off the little grass bracelet that Mipha had tied there, “Isn’t it cool? She made it just for me!”

Mipha’s handiwork is certainly impressive- Zelda inspects the woven bracelet closely and Sidon’s smile is positively infectious and leaves her grinning too. It pulls uncomfortably at the corners of her mouth and makes her jaw ache and for a moment, she wonders how long it’s been since she smiled like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha: wow this really, really hurts...  
> *moves slightly*  
> mipha: oh cool it gets worse!


	15. Cerulean

Mipha groans quietly. Her head throbs, sending an awful ripple of pain right to the back of her eyes but when she becomes aware of it, she realises that it’s absolutely nothing like the agony she’d been in before. That comes as a relief. Unless she was dead- in which case it was really quite inconvenient. A gentle sigh escapes her lips.

However the sigh is awkward and uncomfortable. She grimaces, feeling the suffocating pang of an odd weight on her chest. Though it wasn’t explicitly painful, it definitely didn’t feel right.

Murmuring to herself, she strains to open her eyes, forcing them to adjust to the surroundings despite the remnants of exhaustion that cloud her vision. Well, she definitely  _ was  _ alive, so that was a nice start to the day...or whatever time it was right now. Come to think of it, how long had she been asleep for? 

When she attempts to move, bracing herself and twitching her arms, she finally spots a little red mass curled up on her chest; the source of the stifling weight. Despite how uncomfortable it is, she smiles, managing to shift her arm just enough to pat Sidon’s sleeping head.

She has no idea what she’d do with herself if Sidon had gotten caught up in the calamity- even just thinking about it is enough to make her well up but common sense tells her now is not the time to lament over the things that didn’t happen. What about the other Champions- where were they?

Where was Revali?

Though it’s achingly painful, Mipha grits her teeth through sitting up, driven solely by the deep concern held for her companions- she’d hate to disturb Sidon, so she merely shuffles him over to let him snooze in the bed, but not without tenderly stroking the side of his face. He always looked so peaceful when he slept- she can’t imagine how stressful all of this must’ve been for him.

The bracelet she’d lovingly crafted for him is still on his wrist. Her heart swells.

Nobody else is in the room at the moment, which gives Mipha free reign to get up and leave without being hassled by overly concerned friends and family but a small frown sets into her face as she steps through the door. She still had no idea what was actually going on. 

Sure, Zelda and Link had returned and Ganon had most certainly been defeated but what of the other villages? What of the castle? What of the king? It only dawns on her now that she’s remarkably in the dark about all of this, though, as it stood, her main priority was healing the other Champions. If they’d sustained the same amount of damage as she had then her abilities would be indispensable to them. It was vital that she was there.

The twinge in her leg goes ignored as she limps down the corridor as quickly as she can, soft feet quietly padding across the stone floor. She can hear voices talking somewhere ahead of her and she begins to make haste, only to feel a twinge of regret in doing so.

Sometimes, there are things that you just aren’t meant to see. Sometimes, there are things that you just don’t  _ want  _ to see and sometimes, both of those sentiments go ignored when you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mipha doesn’t experience these moments very often- she’s surprisingly hard to upset and really quite emotionally resilient because, well, she has to be. That’s not to say she hasn’t had her fair share of grief or heartbreak. 

This, however, was the first time she thinks she’s ever felt her heart absolutely shatter.

It’s fairly innocuous, the scene that plays before her. Outside of the throne room are Link and the princess. Both still look as downcast as they had done when she’d seen them before- Zelda has that familiar crease etched into her forehead whilst Link’s eyes almost looked glazed over. He looks like he was trying to be somewhere else but failing miserably. However, in a rare turn of events, the two of them were very tightly embracing one another.

Now, normally, Mipha wouldn’t think very much of that. Hugs are normal. They’re a pretty versatile method of showing affection, whether that be platonic, familial or romantic. It’s fairly easy to tell the difference, too, which is why she suddenly stops short, jolted by what she sees.

Zelda is resting her head on Link’s shoulder, pressing her face into the crook of his neck as if desperately trying to hide from something. Her fingers clutch at the fabric of his shirt, tight enough to turn knuckles white and leave nail indents on her palms. Her face, or what Mipha can see of it, is also pale white. She...doesn’t look well.

Link’s face remains as placid as ever but Mipha’s learnt to read him an awful lot better nowadays. His fingers are slowly lacing themselves through the golden locks of Zelda’s hair, almost soothingly. Rhythmically.

Lovingly.

He’s resting his head atop herself, holding her ever so tenderly in a way Mipha has only ever seen in her dreams. The way they seem to envelop each other, it really was like they were built for one another. Like it was meant to be. Destiny, you could say.

Destiny has never tasted so bitter.

Mipha goes into a state of shock for a moment. She’s unsure whether to turn around and run away, approach them, cry or do nothing at all. Her chest aches-- she wasn’t even sure if it was possible but it did, it ached like something had burst. Shattered. Whatever occupied the cavity in her chest had fractured and she could feel every crack and every chip that threatened to break it into pieces. It was unmistakable.

Occupying the place where Mipha had always longed to be, was Zelda. It wasn’t her, like she’d always hoped it would be.

Mipha wobbles where she’s standing, almost threatening to topple over onto the floor, unable to keep her balance. The room feels so dizzy and hot, it was almost unbearable- she wants to stalk away to seek solace in literally anything else but there was nothing to take her away from...this.

Though she’s staring right at them, she doesn’t register the sight of Zelda pulling away from Link, having spotted Mipha standing right there. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears are tinged a dusty rose colour- she rubs at it roughly, wringing her hands in a manner most awkward, however not for the same reason Mipha was.

“Mipha…”

Link stands to one side- his expression is still pretty gloomy. Was there something going on with him that had escaped Mipha’s knowledge? The idea of Link suffering in silence without her knowing makes Mipha feel worse than useless. It made her feel almost untrustworthy in Link’s eyes. That stung almost as bad as--

“Mipha, are you okay? Should you go and lie back down?”

Zelda...is hard to hate in Mipha’s eyes. Even in the face of unimaginable heartbreak, Mipha knows this is through no fault of her own. She can only resign herself to nodding quietly and tearily as she stares hard at the ground, wishing herself away.

“We...Link found the others. They’re still alive but…”

She trails off, clearly unhappy with whatever it is she needs to say next. Mipha doesn’t bother to get her hopes up- an action she realises is very selfish of her. Nonetheless, she continues to listen patiently. Zelda clears her throat hoarsely, eyes flitting between Link and Mipha.

“Daruk was...okay. He was a little battered and bruised but he didn’t need very much medical attention so he’s...um...recovering. By himself.”

Mipha nods. That was good news. Daruk was about as solid as a rock, anyway. She isn’t surprised he fared alright against a blight, even if he wasn’t able to defeat it.

“Urbosa...was quite badly injured-- about as badly as you were. They brought her back and,” she coughs a little, “...well, she’s okay now.”

If Mipha didn’t know any better, she would think the state of Urbosa might’ve almost traumatised the poor princess. Mipha knows how close they are. Seeing her practically in pieces must be unbearable but Urbosa wouldn’t die unless there truly was no other option for her. Still, if she needs to heal her, she’ll do so without hesitation.

Now...what about Revali?

Mipha waits. She daren’t look up at the princess- she fears she may vomit if she does and that’s not something she wants other people to have to witness.

Zelda...bites her lip and Mipha suddenly feels very cold. Her lips part slightly, brain begging to enquire about the status of her newfound friend. At least...she’d consider him a friend. She can’t see any reason why she  _ shouldn’t _ consider him a friend. However, Mipha cannot even begin to force a plea out. 

“He’s...well, some of your healers are trying to work on him, but--”

Mipha is...a polite person. This is unmistakably true and often goes without saying. You only need to take a look at her and her calm and gentle demeanour will reassure you of her kindness. She was raised as royalty so, technically, she has to be polite. She keeps this manner up in every situation that she can.

However, the speed at which Mipha barges straight past Zelda, almost knocking the poor princess over, almost makes her seem like a different person altogether. The moment she’d been able to cotton onto the situation Zelda was poorly attempting to relay to her, she was gone; straight past the two Hylians in the most undignified manner she’d ever displayed as she practically sprints to wherever Revali may be right now.

There were no ‘buts’ in a situation like this. It was life or death and if Zelda wasn’t telling her it was life, then there was only one other option and, in the name of Hylia, she would  _ not  _ let that happen. She’d already lost someone very precious to her (albeit not literally) but she wasn’t ready to lose another. She wasn’t sure she could handle it.

She can barely see through the tears in her eyes. Her chest still aches, her stomach twinges with an awful, unidentifiable pain that she can only assume comes from the injuries she’d sustained earlier. Her leg feels like it’s beginning to seize, making walking on it far more challenging than she’d like. Why did it feel like her entire body was revolting against her-- and now of all times?

Why did it feel like the whole world was crumbling away…?

  
  


* * *

Revali is...an utter state- for lack of a better description and Mipha isn’t in the right headspace to think properly so all she can really display is...abject horror. Even fighting that hideous blight that had infested Vah Ruta, she’s unsure if she’s ever felt so horribly frightened before.

His wounds are deep and plentiful, spanning the entire stretch of his thin body. His legs are pretty sturdy and don’t sustain a lot of bloody damage in general, however the sickeningly awkward angle one of them is stuck in is enough to make Mipha shudder. She can only assume there are bones broken that she can’t see, too, which will make things tougher. 

Though it's his face is the most heartbreaking thing to her.

She’s seen him sleeping. She’s seen him in pain. She’s even seen him  _ pass out _ from the pain before. This, however, was somehow so much more horrid to her. 

He was definitely unconscious and most likely has been for a while. However, this wasn’t the same unconscious face she’d seen when he’d been peacefully snoozing under the tree at Eventide Island. Back then he’d seemed...strangely self-aware for someone who was asleep. On guard. It was almost like he wasn’t even asleep at all, though his eyebrows would sink down a touch, giving his face a slightly grumpy look.

Right now, his eyebrows were quirked up, almost as if he were holding back tears. There were no tears, though. In the place that tears would be, was blood instead. His beak was hanging open slightly, a ragged breath barely pushing through as he heaves suddenly and Mipha almost drops to her knees.

She swallows thickly and it tastes sour.

She’s not even sure where to begin- between the mess of his body and the mess of her head, she was working with severe disadvantage. However, he needed her. His life quite literally depended on it- if he remained in this state for much longer, he would die. There was no way around that.

Trembling, Mipha plants her hands over the most awful looking puncture in the middle of his abdomen and begins to heal. She grits her teeth, frowns and attempts to put as much of her heart and soul as she had left to spare into it.

But...it’s dull. Just like when she’d tried to heal herself, the shimmery bubble that radiated from her healing hands was small, dark and almost fizzling out. She pants slightly, not realising that she’d been holding her breath in anticipation of the outcome, and even now she can barely bring herself to breathe. Her hands are shaking, causing the magic to shudder along with her movements.

She’s...failing him.

Revali winces slightly- if he’s awake, he’s most likely too delirious to say anything and Mipha almost feels...cruel for what she’s doing to him. It was like giving him a false sense of hope for her own selfish desires. She wants to heal him. She so desperately wants to save him so why did it feel like she was committing some kind of atrocity. Would it just be kinder to let him go?

She emits a choked, spit-filled gasp as tears the size of fingerprints begin to roll mercilessly down her face, staining her cheeks. It was almost suffocating-- it was like drowning. She could barely feel herself breathing through those sorrowful droplets.

Why wasn’t it working?

_ Why wasn’t it working?! _

Piercing through the empty sorrow that’s plagued the space in her chest, a sudden, white-hot surge of anger warms her stomach but it doesn’t do well to quell her nausea. What was she even angry at? All these feelings welling up from the inside and yet she can’t pinpoint a single one of them. It was just a catastrophic flurry of emotion.

All she can see through her eyes, swimming in tears, is a large blur of dull blue and red. She thinks maybe, just maybe, if she closes them, everything will go away.

Revali suddenly coughs wetly, most likely spluttering blood everywhere as he does so and Mipha hurries to wipe her eyes but the tears just won’t stop. She’s not even sure she has enough liquid in her body to be able to cry this much.

Through another painful-sounding cough, “M...Mipha…”

She’d been holding it back so desperately but when her name leaves his throat so quietly and so tragically her mouth splits and she emits a cry of agony. Her tiny body racks with each loud sob but not once does she stop healing. Even when the light of healing is slowly flickering and close to dying out. She still can’t make out the details of his face.

Revali sighs but it’s hoarse and scratchy, “...Mipha…”

“I...I...I’m sorry,” it’s like she’s almost pleading for his forgiveness as she hunches over his weak body, “I’m...so, so sorry, I-I can’t--!”

“Why are you...crying?”

She almost jumps a foot in the air-- of course, that was standard healer protocol! The only face a healer should show their patient is one of confidence and sincerity. Crying like this, so pathetically, in front of a patient was unbelievably inconsiderate to them. That was just like telling them outright they didn’t stand a chance. How cruel it had been of her.

Yet, for the life of her, she can’t make it stop.

“I just...I-I’m sorry, I’m just trying to--”

Revali cuts her off with another awkward grunt as he grits, “Whatever happened to…” he sighs, “whatever it was...what you think about...when you heal? You’ve never...struggled like this...before.”

Mipha feels indescribably disappointed in herself. She’d...failed him.

“I...lost it.”

She’s not sure why she would say such a thing. Still, Revali isn’t a man to be comforted by shallow words. He takes the truth and takes it with pride, even if the truth is an unfortunate one (especially if he neglects to get his own way). Because of this, Mipha feels a little bit better about letting him know her true thoughts, even though she may think that a poor excuse for herself.

To her surprise, he begins to laugh. It’s raspy and makes her wince to hear it but...why would he be laughing? Now of all times? Perhaps he was too delirious to process how dire his situation really was. Mipha wants to cry even harder.

“Listen to me…” he croaks, quietly, “I...will not fault your words. You aren’t wrong, but,” he stops to cough, “you...your strength comes from you. Relying on love is a method...but when you have nobody...then what do you do?”

Mipha’s eyes shine as the blood of her friend stains her hands. It itches.

At no point in her life did she ever think she’d lose the thing that would make her strong. It never even occurred to her- and why not? She should’ve known better. 

Revali tilts his head but barely, “Well…?”

Well…?

She...didn’t know. 

What was she supposed to do? The person that made her heart swell with joy, that made her eyes glimmer with life and what made her heart heal those she reached out to care for- he was gone…

...and her strength had gone with him.

She shakes her head frantically, barely able to get a coherent response out as she attempts to poorly stifle her sobs, hands pressing shakily against the blood-matted feathers covering Revali’s abdomen.

These hands had spent many days and nights lovingly crafting a precious gift, one meant solely for the love of her life. The process of creating the armour had been long but enjoyable, fuelled only by the desire to see him wearing it. Accepting it.

But now...she could no longer give him even that much. Doing so would be an insult to the princess. These hands had done so much in the name of love and for what? When they couldn’t even work on their own. 

Revali emits another painful laugh.

“Oh...princess...you were always quite naïve…”

He manages to shift one of his battered wings, gently placing it over Mipha’s hands. She’d never realised how large they were in comparison to her own and just feeling the warmth, even through the blood on his feathers, it felt protective. Reassuring. How pathetic. This was her job and yet...how could he be the one to reassure her? In a time like this?

“We live in a world...where love isn’t guaranteed. Destiny may exist for some people...but not...for others. When fate gives you absolutely nothing to go on...then the only thing you have is you.”

He chokes once more, eyes becoming glassy and Mipha can barely hear him through the fear of losing him, “Your actions must be for  _ you _ . All that love you seem to keep in there...give that to yourself. You don’t need somebody else to be strong. You  _ are  _ strong- you’re the one doing all the work, not them…”

Mipha can feel his abdomen heaving under her hands. She swallows thickly, feeling close to vomiting as she silently lets the tears on her face dry. Of course he’d say that. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had anybody close to him at all- he certainly didn’t act like he did. What would he know of losing love…?

And yet...something in his words seems to speak to her. Strength was important, even in issues like love. It wasn’t about raw power and and brawn it was about emotional stability and reliability, too. Sometimes you had to be resilient in the face of adversity- you had to step up when others could not. This was the strength that Mipha chose to seek out.

Her eyes narrow as she inspects Revali’s twitching body. The previous healers had managed to do  _ something  _ at least, so Revali hadn’t died on the spot but now she had to pick up the slack just as she had planned to do. She’d told herself time and time again that this is what she was made for. Now, in the face of her worst nightmare, she’d have to battle long and hard to find the strength she’d lost. 

Perhaps lost was the wrong word. Maybe...misplaced was better. 

But...what was she to think about now? Normally, the thought of Link made her heart grow strong and her mind grew clear- she fears to attempt healing with no real thought in mind. There was nothing to hold her up if she were to fall, hence why she was failing right now.

She shakes her head hastily, lips forming a pout as she stares intently down at Revali. Just what was she doing? Putting herself before the dying Rito that lay in front of her- that was unforgivable and here he was even offering her advice! This was unacceptable. 

She did have the strength. She knew it. She’s done it before and she’ll do it again. 

She has to.

Closing her eyes tightly, she doesn’t see the sudden expansion of the magic radiating from her hands, now a brazen blue hue that reflects off his feathers like the sky does the sea. She also doesn’t see the weak smile that graces Revali’s beak though, for that, he’s glad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zelda: revali's dying  
> mipha: *multi track drifts right past her*


	16. Unravel

“I gotta say, we really scraped through that one! I almost thought we weren’t gonna make it, but you definitely didn’t let us down, little guy!”

Link is almost knocked over by the force of Daruk’s pat on the back, a small reward for his efforts against Ganon but a meaningful one all the same. He smiles awkwardly but he’s most definitely happy. Now that the world wasn’t in immediate peril and it appears that they’d all survived, there was no need to hold it back. 

“He most certainly didn’t,” Zelda tacks on quietly, admiring Link from where she’s sat. She could not be prouder of him. No doubt, without his legendary skills, they would not be where they are today.

Right now, that’s in Zora’s Domain. Per Mipha’s request, Link had the Champions brought here to be healed and, as she had correctly suspected, they had sustained their own severe injuries. Also, seeing as Zora’s Domain was the least affected by the revolting Guardians, and full of the most healers, it only made sense. Finally, a few days after the Calamity, tension and fear were beginning to die down and the citizens of Hyrule were beginning to rebuild.

In favour of assisting those living closer to the castle, whose homes had been torn down, most of the capable Zora were away for the time being, leaving the domain peacefully empty. It was a nice place for them to quietly recover from the horrors of battle.

Just as Zelda had explained to Mipha, Daruk had probably fared the best out of all of them. No other race could take a hit like the Gorons but that’s not to say he hadn’t had a tough time of it. He’s still a bit slow to get up and move around but he’s as boisterous as ever and, in all honesty, it’s an invigorating change from the sombre disposition of war. 

“I could say the same for you, princess. Neither you nor Link could defeat Ganon alone. Your teamwork was impeccable,” Urbosa smiles fondly- proudly at the young princess sitting beside her and Zelda flushes a light pink colour in response to the praise.

It’s evident that Urbosa had had her hands full with the blight plaguing Vah Naboris but, here she was, still alive and kicking and she can’t ask for much more than that. Most of her torso and abdomen is tightly bandaged and her regular armour has been temporarily replaced for some looser, more comfortable garments. Her flame-coloured hair is also out of its regular style, falling softly over her shoulders and back. It’s remarkably bizarre to not see Urbosa so battle-ready. Still, she’s always quick to get back on her feet so this recovery period will undoubtedly be short.

“Thank you, Urbosa. I’m...sorry we could not be quicker about it,” Zelda still looks downcast but that’s to be expected. It was a lot of pressure to place on a teenage girl and Urbosa hopes there will be no repeat of this.

“There’s no need for an apology. I’m still here. Daruk is still here and...Mipha…”

Out of the corner of her eye, Urbosa spies Mipha padding past slowly and Mipha offers a small smile. However, her eyes seem cloudy and do not reflect the smile well. 

“Good afternoon,” Mipha greets the group politely. It was a great deal to her that the Champions were staying here for the time being, which meant she had her hands full accommodating them, despite their protests.

“How are you today? You’re looking like you’re getting stronger,” Urbosa remarks, leaning comfortably against the stone pillar behind her. Mipha clasps her hands behind her back- she’s missing a few pieces of her normal jewellery in favour of comfort. “I could say the same for you. I’m doing well, thank you.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Zelda fidgets where she’s sat, fiddling with the hem of a new garment Mipha had managed to acquire for her (the old white gown was incredibly unfitting for a princess- what was left of it after stripping it for bandage material was covered in either dirt or blood and, unfortunately, had to be retired). Her expression is distinctly nervous but not for the reason that Mipha’s is. She bites her lip, before daring to ask, “How is Revali?”

Mipha hasn’t really brought herself to speak properly to the princess since the other day and still finds it incredibly nerve-racking to go near her. Link isn’t much better either- she can hardly look at him without welling up, but the topic of Revali is now becoming somewhat comforting for her, “He’s doing alright. We’re no longer at risk of losing him, which is a great relief.”

Zelda emits a long, breathy sigh and a small smile plays at the corner of her lips, “That...is truly relieving to hear. Thank you so much, Mipha.”

Hearing a word of thanks from her is bittersweet. Mipha can only really smile half-heartedly in return, “Please, it’s quite alright. I’m just...happy that we all made it through this.”

Daruk scratches the back of his head, wincing slightly, “Yeah, I’ll say. It was gettin’ real scary for a while but it’s good to hear he’s doing alright now. Can’t say he looked too great when I saw him. I think he got the worst of it out of all of us.”

That’s undeniably true but nobody really needs to say it. They’d all seen the state of him at the time and it was a tragic sight in comparison to his normal appearance. For a solid pillar of confidence like him to crumble, it would most likely be a scarring blow for him. It’s hard to not feel sympathetic for him but they wouldn’t say that to his face. It would only result in a harsh refusal from Revali, himself, who despised being pitied.

“Well, I’m...going to go and check on him now. If you will excuse me,” with a slight bow of the head, Mipha excuses herself and turns to leave, walking off down the corridor and leaving the other Champions behind.

Seeing them recovering, though- that made Mipha genuinely delighted. She hadn’t seen too much of them directly, choosing to tend to Revali when she wasn’t recovering by herself in her abode. She’d been worried about Urbosa but the other healers had done an excellent job and she was looking a lot healthier, so she’d felt an enormous weight lift from her shoulders. 

Slipping through one of the open archways, she finds herself in the room Revali was occupying. 

She could say he looks better but, to be honest, it wasn’t hard. He’d been so bloody and battered back then, literally anything could’ve been an improvement. Even after she’d finished healing him, she’d been overwhelmed with anxieties that had convinced her he wouldn’t survive past a few days. To her joy, he’d been doing just fine.

He’s lounging on the bed, still unable to really get up and do anything, but spent more time conscious than not which was a good start. Mipha can understand how frustrating being grounded is for him, and not because of the flat look he gives her every time she walks into the room. She offers him her sweetest smile.

“How are you feeling?”

As if it was hard to tell just by looking at him- one wing is heavily bandaged but the other has been forced into a sling, much to his chagrin. His left leg has been secured with a splint for the time being, but Mipha’s healing would guarantee it would be good to go very soon. His face is visibly bruised, even through the feathers, which is bad for a Rito, but it looks like he’ll live. Mipha hasn’t been able to wash his feathers out yet (he’d adamantly refused) so he was still looking a bit matted and bloody but that was the least of his worries right now.

He’s sat cross-legged on the bed, much to Mipha’s distaste. She knows he hates being bed-bound and the only way he could rebel against having to lie down was sitting upright. Even now, he really just wouldn’t give in, not even to help himself. Mipha shouldn’t be surprised anymore. 

She perches neatly at the foot of the bed, inspecting the state of his bandages as he sighs, “About the same as the last time you asked, thank you.” 

His tone is about as flat as ever and Mipha hopes, for both of their sakes, that he recovers quickly. Still, he doesn’t seem unhappy to see her. He shifts his legs to give her enough space to sit properly, “You should be focusing more on your own recovery than mine, princess, you’ve been looking awfully pale recently.”

Mipha can’t deny that. It’s not like she’s been feeling her best, either, but of course Revali would notice that. She emits a small sigh, nodding her head with resignation, “I’m sure you’re right. However, for the time being, I am still your healer and my work here isn’t done,” the smile she gives him is reminiscent of an all-knowing mother. Revali rolls his eyes.

“Well, I’m alive, aren’t I? How much left is there for you to do?”

Mipha reaches out to pat his good leg softly and she’s mildly surprised that he doesn’t shy away from it, “My job won’t be done until you’re back to your old self.”

Revali’s sigh is so wonderfully dramatic that Mipha has never been happier to hear it. Though it had only been a short while since the calamity, it had felt like she hadn’t been able to see him properly for a long time. 

“I suppose I have no choice but to let you-- but don’t think I’ll let you mother me! I’m not a fledgeling, you know,” his voice is snappy and leaves no room for argument but Mipha supposes she’ll just have to do it subtly so he won’t notice. She nods her head agreeably, with no intention of following his request.

“Good,” he says gruffly, adjusting his bandaged wing and looking rather irate about it. He glances at Mipha out of the corner of his emerald-coloured eye, “So...what about you?”

Mipha perks up, having been staring just over his shoulder in a vacant daze. It was pretty unsettling but Revali couldn’t help but notice Mipha hadn’t been herself for the past few days. He’d left it at first (he was dying and there wasn’t much else he could do about it) but couldn’t help but remember what she’d said. She’d...lost something. Lost something that had made her strong.

He’d chosen not to prod about it over the past few days but Mipha really didn’t seem to be snapping out of it by herself. Obviously, the other Champions weren’t observant enough to notice anything out of the ordinary, he scoffs to himself, so he supposes he’ll just have to be the one to help her.

“What about me?” Mipha could be sharp when she wanted to be but sometimes it was so hard to gauge how aware she was of things. Revali clicks his tongue, “You know what I’m talking about. You haven’t been yourself for a while, now.”

Mipha can’t hide her dismay, though she wonders if that’s because she doesn’t want to. These had been troubling times for her and, though she has half a mind to do her best to ignore it, she desperately would like at least a little companionship. It had felt so lonely over the past few days, even though her comrades were right there. Link had been so close and yet so far away from her…

Perhaps she had wanted to Revali to notice.

She grimaces to herself, feeling remarkably selfish right now, but there was no way around that. She’d come to learn that Revali didn’t do things out of obligation. He’d only ask if he wanted to know so she supposes she’ll humour him.

“I apologise,” she replies quietly, “I suppose you are right. I allowed it to affect my abilities whilst I was healing you and I almost let you di--”

“That’s not what I asked,” Revali cuts in, sharply, but there’s a small twitch at the corner of his beak that suggests he finds amusement in this, “I asked what was wrong with you. I know damn fine what happened to your abilities,” he opts to sit back and rest comfortably on the pillows against the headboard, “I suppose my life  _ was  _ on the line back then so, in return, why not tell me what happened? As way of an apology…”

Mipha can’t help but smile but it’s half-hearted, awkward and twisted on her face- she’s not sure whether to feel relieved or defeated but he’s too crafty for his own good, that was for sure. She sits up properly on the bed to get comfy, feeling like this may be a long explanation.

“I suppose...it may be a little,” she stops herself momentarily, wondering how to go about saying it, “...strange.”

“Based on what I...vaguely remember from before, you’d lost the thing that gave you strength whilst healing-- or...some _ one,  _ I suppose that would be,” Revali slowly scratches the side of his face with his aching wing, face mildly twisted in thought. Mipha’s expression scrunches up but she nods, almost reluctantly.

“Yes. It’s...really, it’s inconsequential--”

“It obviously isn’t.”

Mipha wants to roll her eyes as she looks up at Revali, “You know,” she begins, veering slightly from conversation, “I’m surprised you remember that much. You’d lost so much blood already.”

“My memory is impeccable, thank you very much, and you’re derailing the topic here. Just spit it out, already. What happened?” He nags at her, impatient to finally hear what was making Mipha appear so miserable. Mipha knows she’s beating around the bush a bit but...why on earth was she so hesitant to tell him? It wasn’t even overly embarrassing, it was just...hard to say. There was no better way to explain it than that.

In the end, Mipha inhales deeply and thinks this might be the fortieth time that day she’d sighed.

“I suppose...Zelda has won the affections of Link.”

Revali stares at her blankly. He blinks a few times and his eyebrows rise quite high- Mipha can barely stand it. She knows how he feels about Link. She knows his disdain for him and, now that she’s said that, she regrets to hear what he has to say about it.

She almost expects him to start laughing but, to her surprise, he remains passive, “That’s...really quite unfortunate but you can’t say you didn’t expect this to happen. What with the amount of time they spend together,” Mipha’s expression suddenly turns sour and Revali hurries to amend his words, “--I mean, not that I know the true extent of your...  _ relationship _ with Link.”

Mipha stares down sullenly into her lap, habitually fiddling with the silver cuffs around her wrists. Revali watches her and, well, he supposes he can’t help but feel sympathetic. Perhaps he would feel more so if it weren’t for Link...

“I’m sure Link isn’t the only love of your life,” he sighs, “Plenty of fish in the sea and all that. You’ll get over it soon enough,” his words are a bit blunt, probably not the best way to tackle a sensitive issue of heartbreak, but Mipha didn’t expect anything else.

“But it hurts now…”

“Everything hurts in the present. That’s why you look to the future. If we all sat around in the present, wallowing in how badly everything hurts, we’d go mad!” Revali lifts a wing as a gesture, “I mean, look at me! I’m not fit to fly now but I will be soon. If I didn’t have that to think about, I don’t think I’d survive.”

Mipha thinks...that makes sense. 

“I suppose you’re right. It won’t hurt forever...and perhaps the thought of a happy future will make for a nice distraction,” she offers him a small, appreciative smile. If his feathers weren’t so heavily matted with blood, they’d be prickling outwards in a very telling manner.

“Exactly.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so optimistic, though.”

Revali tilts his head curiously, “Really?”

Come to think of it, there’s no reason for her to think that. Actually, his confidence would be a show of optimism, since he was almost always convinced that things would go well (thanks to his self-proclaimed superb skills). Perhaps his impatient and occasionally prickly demeanour had deceived Mipha into assuming a pessimistic attitude.

Revali shrugs, “I wouldn’t call it optimism, really. I prefer the term ‘realistic’.”

Within boundaries, certainly, Mipha thinks, but neglects to say that aloud.

Still, his words, like before, had struck a very strange chord within her, but not an unpleasant one. Though it was hard to tell if he’d had prior experience with this particular scenario, his advice was good. Perhaps easier said than done in some cases, but it meant well all the same. Though her heart still ached with the thought of never being able to relay her true affections to Link, she felt a little more hopeful for the future. Her smile grows and Revali doesn’t miss a moment of it.

“Thank you, Revali.”

Revali turns his head to stare in another direction, “It’s nothing, really,” he replies rather brusquely, as if he’d prefer no thanks at all. His expression is placid but thoughtful, “I think you may be  _ too  _ optimistic at times but it’ll do you well to remember that these things aren’t the end of the world...even if they feel like they are.”

That last point was spoken suspiciously quietly and Mipha can’t help but enquire, “Might you have experience with something similar?”

Revali’s mild alarm arrives perfectly on cue, “Me? No. I have better things to waste time with than that. Practice to do, skills to hone-- you understand how it is,” he shrugs it off like it doesn’t mean very much to him and Mipha wonders about that. He could very well be lying to her, she’d have no idea if he was, but she ponders the thought of his aversion to romantics. If anything, it seemed like he’d be the perfect type for it.

“You’ve...never loved anybody?”

Revali goes...oddly silent, not having expected her to phrase it in such a straightforward manner. Mipha watches his expression turn almost frighteningly neutral- as if he’d purposely drained all the emotion from his face just to answer, “No.”

“I see,” is all she can bring herself to say. How...bad she feels for him. Perhaps, if he’d experienced the love she had, he may have grown to be a different person altogether. Somehow, though, the thought doesn’t fill Mipha with much joy.

Though, one day, she thinks she would like him to feel that way- even if it were just platonically.

Contemplating that, she watches his face scrunch up unpleasantly- he looks suddenly quite bothered by something and Mipha can’t work out what. She hopes she hasn’t overstepped something by asking such an intimate question.

“Is something wrong?”

His face is certainly intriguing to watch. Mipha had many thoughts about the Rito, being remarkably unfamiliar with them, despite sharing the same evolutionary origins. How did they pronounce things without lips? Did they have ears? So many questions and many of them, she is sure Revali wouldn’t be patient enough to answer.

Eventually, he rolls his eyes, shimmying away from the pillows with a very exhale, “I...have a request for you, if you wouldn’t mind.” 

Mipha watches him move with slight surprise but her healer instincts are keeping a keen eye on his injuries as he shuffles awkwardly. It wasn’t like him to ask anything of anyone so Mipha is eager to see what it is he wants.

“Since I listened to your woes, I think it would be nice enough for you to do something for me, too,” he sounds like he’s grumbling when he says this, even though he’d managed to warp listening to her problems as an apology for almost failing to save his life. In fairness, he didn’t even need to say that much- Mipha was more than happy to help.

“What’s wrong?”

“Now, I don’t ask anybody else to do this but…” he trails, before uncomfortably murmuring, “...would you mind unbraiding my feathers? It’s becoming intolerable.”

Mipha blinks, both surprised and excited by this sudden request. How nice. Well, if he didn’t ask anybody else to do it, it must be for good reason. She vows to be as delicate as possible with it, as she budges up further onto the bed, “Of course. I’d be happy to.”

Revali manages to hook his legs over the edge of the bed, giving her free access to the back of his head and, by extension, his skilfully plaited braids. Mipha had always thought they looked rather pretty on him, but had never said anything about it. She’s unsure of where to begin but figures removing the little gem clasps holding the feathers in place but, to her curiosity, the strands were fine enough to be like hair. Perhaps a little thicker than Hylian hair, and with thicker roots, but she had never noticed that before.

“You have...hair,” is all she can bring herself to say. 

She can’t see Revali’s expression, but she’s sure it’s one of exasperation as he says, “Feathers, hair- it’s interchangeable for us.”

A solid explanation, but Mipha is too busy peering at the odd tuft sticking out from between the braids as she removes the clasps. She’s...quite certain it’s not meant to look like that but she’s unsure of what’s going on here. She tilts her head to catch a glimpse of his face from over his shoulder, “Revali…?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you have...four braids?”

“What do you mean?”

She winces, unclasping the last braid, leaving her with three little shining green ties. Unsurprising, that he may have lost a braid to the blight of Vah Medoh, but she’s not sure she wants to be the one to break the bad news to him. He already seemed quite defensive about the state of them. She purses her lips, beginning to deftly unbraid the feathers.

“You...appear to have lost one to Ganon,” she says, solemnly. She can feel Revali flinch under her fingers but there is no explosive reaction. He just deflates with a huff, as he mutters, “Damn it,” under his breath. 

Mipha will admit, she’s not quite in the know about the importance of these braids. The few Rito she’d happen to come across in her life all had braids of some sort. They’re a prideful bunch for sure, which leads her to ask, “I was wondering, is there a particular reason you wear braids like this? It seems quite common for your people.”

The way Revali clicks his tongue suggests to Mipha that he’d been expecting this question and was more than ready to give a lengthy spiel about it.

“I thought you’d notice sooner or later, though I’m surprised you hadn’t asked earlier,” he says, voice strangely pleasant despite the loss of one of his braids, “Well, different Rito wear different braids. You’ll find the women of our village wear looped braids- that’s been a tradition for thousands of centuries now.”

His feathers feel so soft between Mipha’s fingers and she wants to melt. The way they’d been tightly plaited had prevented them from getting too dirty; she’d half expected them to be rough but they were almost silky. It’s so pleasant that she’s almost too distracted to listen to him speaking.

“Then there are the ones I wear- they’re braided in a certain way that’s traditional for warriors of our village. Most men wear braids if their feathers are long enough but not all of them are warriors”

“I see,” Mipha murmurs, silently revelling in the soft sensation of the feathers enveloping her fingers as she extracts the long strips of brown leather that are woven into them. Now that the feathers have been freed from their ties, Mipha’s beginning to notice his feathers are actually remarkably long! 

“They’re a symbol of maturity for a warrior, too. Fledgelings will learn to braid their feathers when they’re old enough,” he puts a wing to the tip of his beak, gazing thoughtfully at the empty space in front of him. He’s...not used to people touching him in this manner. Not even his braids, just in general- it’s not like he didn’t mind getting close to people, but when other people encroached on his space, that was a different matter. They would get batted away almost immediately, like a particularly annoying fly (and, through Revali’s eyes, there was little difference between the two.)

Revali fidgets, feeling Mipha tug on his feathers and he’s suddenly becoming very aware of her fingers lacing gently through the navy blue plumage. Mipha finally untangles the last braid, allowing Revali’s longer feathers to fall freely down his back and...to be perfectly honest, he looks almost like a different person. She’s not all too sure what she was expecting but this wasn’t it at all. It was...actually really quite pretty, though his feathers could do with a good scrub. She’s sure he’ll take care of that when he’s able to, since he keeps refusing her offer.

She sits back, silently indicating that she’d finished unravelling the mess of blue fluff. Revali shakes his head suddenly, using his better wing to carefully fan it all out into a comfortable position. Mipha takes a moment to silently marvel at Revali’s cascading feathers as he resumes his position against the headboard. She definitely wouldn’t mind braiding them if he asked. That is, if he taught her how. She only knew how to braid bracelets but she can’t imagine it’ll be all too different.

“You look...very nice,” Mipha compliments, shyly and Revali almost recoils- well, colour her surprised. Usually he thrived on being the centre of attention but the way his feathers prickle and his eyebrows crease suggest to Mipha perhaps he wasn’t particularly used to these kinds of niceties.

“Thank you,” he replies, gruffly, “I suppose I should also thank you for not yanking my feathers out, though that’s just bare-minimum courtesy.”

Mipha smiles gently, “Now why would I do such a thing? Your feathers are lovely, but I do wish you would let me wash them. Surely, it cannot be comfortable like that,” she can still see patches of dark brown- dried blood- covering his feathers on parts of his face and the parts of his abdomen not covered with bandages. Not that she would know what it’s like to have feathers, but dried blood was very uncomfortable (though in fairness, any dryness on her body was uncomfortable, due to her aquatic nature). 

Revali looks grizzly when she says this, eye twitching as he roughly (or as roughly as he can without opening his wounds) scrubs at the particularly large patch of blood on his wing, “Yes, yes, so you keep saying. I don’t enjoy it any more than you do but, as I’m sure you’re unaware, cleaning feathers-- especially feathers in a state like  _ this-  _ is quite the arduous task.”

“That’s why I’m offering to help you,” Mipha reminds him, adjusting her position to sit with her legs hanging over the edge of the bed, “Being bedridden is bad enough on it’s own.”

To that, Revali rolls his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head, “I’m sure I’ll manage. Besides, you’ve spent enough time fussing over me for one day. You must need your rest, as well.”

Mipha exhales softly, feeling far more relaxed in comparison to the tight tension from earlier, “You might be right, though you’re in a worse state than I,” she flashes him a look that could possibly be described as teasing. Revali hangs his head slightly, making his expression unreadable, but the way the feathers on his face quiver makes Mipha curious. With a tiny smile, she carries on to say, “If you were willing to show me...I would be very happy to braid your feathers-- though, you might have three instead of four, this time.”

The reminder that one of his braids had been claimed by the blight of Vah Medoh causes Revali’s face to crinkle with disdain, “Ah...well, I  _ suppose _ I could show you how. Don’t expect me to spend all day trying to teach you, though. I only have so much patience,” even though he says this with quite the condescending tone, in his mind he knows Mipha is a fast learner and a talented individual with great dexterity, so he doesn’t doubt she’ll pick it up quickly.

And...he’s definitely not doing this because he  _ wants  _ her to braid his feathers. This had nothing to do with how gentle and soothing the sensation of her soft fingers and dainty nails had felt as they ran through the thick fibers. Nothing at all.

But, when Revali scooches over to begin his impromptu braiding lesson, he feels a distinct pang of something sharp and warm somewhere in his ribcage. 

He ignores it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i recently saw some ppl talking abt my work on tumblr n it gave me the real good vibes! it rlly helps with writing this shit. tbh i normally respond to comments on fics but ive been Not doin that recently but dont think i dont read them, they're all great
> 
> tbh im kinda surprised this fic has hit 2000 notes! i still have so much to write! doesnt help that i have a bunch more fics coming too,,,,


	17. Imminent

Without Mipha’s renowned healing abilities, the Champions recovery period would’ve undoubtedly been a lot longer, and, most likely, a lot more bothersome. At least, it would’ve been more bothersome for the headstrong Champions who were impatient to get on their feet, and, really, that was just 4 out of 5 of them. However, as time passed, Mipha was also beginning to feel stifled, and that definitely wasn’t because, no matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to bump into Link every day. 

The sour atmosphere had been beginning to make her feel a tad under the weather. She knew the first thing she was going to do when she left Zora’s Domain was walk. Walk anywhere, and as far as she could. It didn’t matter where she ended up, so long as the journey was quiet.

So, when the time finally came for the Champions to depart for home, patched up and (almost) good as new, Mipha felt a pleasant breeze of fresh air that symbolised a nice, new beginning. Whether it was the beginning of an era of peace, or the beginning of a new journey for Mipha’s lost love, it didn’t matter. She just needed something new to occupy her time with.

Of course, she hadn’t let the Champions go without making sure they were fully healed ( _ especially  _ Revali) but, by the time she had to say goodbye, it was almost a bit teary. Now that Ganon had been defeated, were they still Champions? Was there any real use for the Divine Beasts anymore? Was there any real reason to see them again?

Mipha had watched Revali go, the last to leave the domain, with a heavy heart. After all, now that she’d lost Link, she would have no cocky Rito to confide in or to keep her company. Walking him off to the gate had turned into a bit of a sore memory, too. He’d managed to heal from his severe injuries, and Mipha had been so worried that the damage done to his body would be irreversible, no thanks to her poorly timed breakdown, but, as Revali always seemed to do, he pulled through like it was nothing at all and kept his head held high.

She didn’t feel worthy of being able to do the same, so she watched him from behind, and took a small piece of pleasure from his newfound good mood. Then, with a sly smirk and a sudden gust of wind, he’d disappeared into the sky.

The sky had never seemed so free and appealing to Mipha until now. It had been coloured a bright azure blue since Ganon’s defeat, and not a single rainy cloud had been seen since. It almost felt like the entire land had been reset, ready to start anew.

She hadn’t kept up with the Zora’s efforts towards rebuilding the areas that had been decimated by the Guardians, but she could only assume each and every one of them were doing their utmost to restore Hyrule to how it had been before. She can only imagine the natives of other towns had pitched in to do the same, too. The only thing she’d been somewhat aware of was the state of Hyrule Castle.

It had appeared that, according to Zelda, a chunk of surviving soldiers and other inhabitants of the castle had swarmed the ruins like a cloud of stubborn flies, to begin retrieving bodies and salvaging remains so they could crack on with rebuilding. Zelda had taken the news with tearful joy, touched by their selflessness when they had informed her of the plan to restore her home. They’d also taken it upon themselves to make preparations for the burial of the king, which Urbosa had been careful to stay updated on. Zelda may be the princess of Hyrule, but it was perhaps a bit too much for a seventeen year-old to have to bury their father. They’d assured that they’d take care of it, though not without being under the watchful eye of the Gerudo Chief.

Link had also escorted Zelda back towards Hyrule Castle, both bidding Mipha a fond farewell that she’d had to force herself to return. However, the way they had walked over the bridge and away from the domain, hand in hand, had made Mipha just a wee bit happy for them- even if it had left her heart burning horribly.

Zelda needed him. 

She’d nearly lost everything. She’d lost her home, her father and she’d come close to losing her entire kingdom- if she’d lost Link...well, Mipha isn’t sure she could imagine the grief. She needed something to keep her tethered to sanity. Somehow, though, she’d been managing as well as anyone could be expected to when such a dire situation was thrust upon them.

But they’d managed to pull through. Mipha feels a tad useless that she’s still so in the dark about the state of things at the moment, from the other villages, to the Guardians, but her father (and the other Zora, for that matter) had firmly insisted that she stick to recovering peacefully. Her father had been beside himself when Zelda had dragged her through the gates, and, though she hadn’t remembered it for herself, she knows him well enough to hazard that assumption. She only hopes she hadn’t managed to scare Sidon too badly. The poor boy had barely been able to leave her alone the past week.

But the appearance of the bracelet still tied around his wrist paved a way to comforting memories of a sunny island that never failed to make her heart twinge with a fond feeling.

Mipha had made sure to spend extra time with Sidon and her father, once her need to rest had disappeared. She felt like she owed it to them, having most likely scared them both half to death. However, it was still difficult to keep a positive face on with the loss of a love that had spanned a large fraction of her life.

She can barely bring herself to look upon the Zora armour she had made for Link. It sits where she’d left it before, now destined to never be worn. Every time she passes by it, she looks in the opposite direction, feeling a phantom tingle upon her fingers that had worked so hard on it.

Even now, she can still see his handsome face and sunshine-blonde hair in her dreams. When she wakes up, feeling just a little bit glum, she forces an image of Revali’s cocky smirk in front of it to cheer her up. She’d never tell him that, of course. He might take offense to the idea that Mipha found him to be amusing, especially at times when he was trying to be serious. 

Though she hadn’t realised it, Revali had actually been crossing her mind more frequently nowadays. Even when she had made the trip up to Ruta (tentatively, of course; the events of that day still hadn’t left her mind) to sit atop the elephants stone head, she’d been able to just about spot Vah Medoh in the distance, circling above what she assumes would be Rito Village, off towards the Hebra Mountains. She’s not been able to see Medoh up close yet but wonders what it must be like to be up there with it, amongst the clouds. The views Revali must see on a daily basis alone fills Mipha with a great longing.

She wonders what he must be doing right now. Well...she  _ hopes  _ he’s still taking it slow and easing himself back into his normal routine but she would not at all be surprised if he were carelessly diving headfirst into training and other strenuous activities.

Though it does bring her to the realisation that...she still knows very little about him. He’d refused to speak on the topic of his family, he’d barely alluded to the activities of his day-to-day life, training aside, and she’d never seen the Rito Village for herself, so, despite the growth of their relationship, he was still very much a mystery to her.

Somehow...that’s a very exciting thought.

* * *

Rebuilding anything can be a long and arduous process. On top of the substantial work it requires, it often takes an emotional toll, too. After all, loss isn’t just physical, as everybody in Hyrule had now come to understand.

However, Mipha is distinctly surprised by how quickly the work had been done. She supposes it does well when everybody in the land jumps at the ready when a helping hand is required- her own people are no different. She can only be thankful of that and she is sure the princess is, as well.

Unfortunately...that left them with another particularly pressing matter. 

It’s been just under a month since the events of the calamity. Mipha feels no trace of the severe damage her body had sustained and is now comfortable to resume her normal life. The other Champions, she can only assume, are doing something similar. She’s had no sudden surprise visits concerning burst stitches and reopened wounds so, as they say, no news is good news.

Though the lack of any news from Revali’s end makes her feel perhaps a little bit glum. Not that she’s expecting to hear anything but that doesn’t mean she’s not curious as to what he’s up to now. She can only guess he’s back at his beloved Flight Range, doing what he did best. At the very least, she hopes he’s happy right about now.

However, as per the aforementioned pressing matter, something in the way of information  _ did _ manage to make it to Zora’s Domain, not long after the majority of the work had been completed. This information came in the form of a letter from the princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda. Mipha had been unsure of what to really expect from the sudden letter, but she had silently hoped it would read of positive news and perhaps give her some idea of what would be done with the Divine Beasts.

It wasn’t either of these.

Technically, the letter hadn’t even been addressed to her- it had been addressed to her father, King Dorephan. This gave Mipha the first clue that it had nothing to do with the Champions  _ or  _ the Divine Beasts, which left her pondering. She watches her father open the tiny letter slowly, but carefully, and he reads the contents inside. His face is grave the entire time.

Nobody knows what to make of it. Nobody would know what to make of it until he finally said something. Sidon is gently swinging on Mipha’s arm, but only slightly in the hopes he could get away with it without her saying anything. However, with the unfortunate expression her father seemed to be making, Mipha’s second clue is that this is probably not something that Sidon needed to be here for. At least not mentally. 

“Father…?” Mipha whispers, hoping Sidon wouldn’t get too curious and start asking questions that may or may not turn out to be inappropriate. King Dorephan puts the letter aside, shaking his head as he does so.

“It’s regarding the passing of the king.”

Mipha winces internally, but does her best to stay still on the outside as she says, “I see.”

“It seems his burial will be soon. The princess asks that we attend.”

“Alright.”

“However,” he sits back a little, eyeing the way Sidon is staring off in the other direction, “his burial will be preceding Zelda’s coronation ceremony.”

Mipha’s eyes widen fractionally, “The...coronation ceremony?”

Her father’s smile is always gentle in her eyes, as he explains, “I suppose it may be complicated. What with the need to rebuild everything, there’s been little time to hold a proper burial for him. On top of that, Hyrule has been without a monarch for a while now. Of course, it goes without saying that the princess will succeed him but I can only assume people are becoming antsy in anticipation for it.”

“I see,” Mipha says plainly, though her eyes are full of worry, “but...surely, she is still too young. She would become queen, would she not?”

Dorephan emits a hoarse laugh that still manages to be quite full of life, “Well, now, it’s not as if anybody else could succeed him! I understand your concern, my dear. It’s likely her title as queen will not take effect until she turns of age. She will still take up the role, though.”

Mipha looks uncertain, “I don’t doubt her ability to succeed him, it’s just...she  _ is  _ rather young. I worry, is all,” she looks down, glancing at Sidon out of the corner of her eye. He’s still not paying attention and she has half a mind to let him go off and find some children to play with rather than making him stand here with her.

“You’ve always been like that, my dear. It’s just in your nature,” he chuckles. However, Mipha finds little solace in his comfort, now finding something new to be concerned about. Looking up at her father, she silently gestures to Sidon with a tilt of the head.

“What about him? Will he come with us to the funeral?”

“He will.”

Mipha’s face twists in disbelief but she doesn’t question it- at least, not yet. The funeral of the king is debatably one of the most important events in the entire kingdom- few people would ever have the honour of attending and, as part of the longest bloodline in Hyrule’s history, they had an obligation to be there. That would mean Sidon, too.

“He’s only young,” Mipha tells him, though it’s not like she doubts his awareness of that. Dorephan pauses, but emits a sigh deep enough to knock Mipha off of her feet. He shifts his position to lean down slightly, as he taps the side of his throne.

“Sidon.”

Sidon perks up with innocent and pleasantly ignorant eyes. Mipha has her doubts about this. Still, she lets go of his hand so he may toddle up to their father. He’s so small, their father could probably pick him up with one hand and carry him like that. 

“I want to tell you something but, you must know, this is a very important matter,” Dorephan tells him softly, but firmly. Sidon frowns momentarily, before nodding in a manner most compliant. He listens carefully as his father explains the events of the king’s death, much to Mipha’s visible disappointment.

During the explanation, Sidon’s face twists and turns in a number of expressions, but he remains quiet and waits for his father to finish speaking. Mipha is finding a hard time trying to gauge a reaction from him and it’s setting her nerves on edge.

After a while, Sidon tilts his head as he inquires, “What’s a funeral?”

Dorephan sits back, folding his arms, “Well, do you remember one of the elders that passed a short while ago? We held a ceremony in his honour. That’s what a funeral is. It’s where we pay our respects to the departed. Do you understand?”

Through his odd facial movement, Mipha can tell he’s habitually biting the inside of his cheek as he processes the answer, “So we have to do that for the king, too?”

“Yes, we do. Very few people will ever get to attend a ceremony for a member of the royal family, so you must understand how important this is. After all, it goes without saying that we would be representing the entirety of our people whilst we are there. Please behave yourself.”

Sidon nods firmly, though he’s swinging his arms back and forward in a manner that belies his understanding in what he’s been told to do. Dorephan breaks his firm expression with a soft smile, as he says, “Now, why don’t you go and find something to play?”

Sidon correctly takes that as his cue to leave, and potters off in search of something to occupy his interest. Watching him go, Dorephan redirects back to Mipha and his kind expression hasn’t changed, despite the graveness of his daughter’s face.

“You’re right, he is young, but he must learn. This is the way of the world and it’s vital he understands. Especially in light of the coming ceremony.”

Despite looking dejected, Mipha nods, “You are right, I know. Still…”

Dorephan laughs, albeit quietly, “I know you well, Mipha. Sidon will be just fine- he will always have you to turn to, you know that. You’ve been nothing but good to him since the day he was born.”

His words suddenly bring a sweet, awkward little smile to Mipha’s face- she can still vividly remember the day her brother became a part of this world and she knows she will never forget it til the day she dies. Strange, to her, to think that Sidon will never remember one of the most important moments in her life, despite being the focal point of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a very miphary chapter i reckon


	18. Memorial

The day of the funeral of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule is a grey one. Taking place not too long after Mipha had learnt of the letter, the Royal Family of Zora’s Domain travel down to the Great Plateau to attend the ceremony, alongside other people of importance.

Mipha had been a little surprised to bump into Daruk on the way there, and they had travelled together, much to Sidon’s delight. Mipha had initially expected Sidon to be fearful of the large, boisterous Goron but, to her surprise, Sidon had taken to him like a Zora to water, leading him to chatter quietly at him for the duration of the journey. Mipha also takes the time to talk to him, seeing as it had been a while since they’d spoken.

“How have your wounds been, Daruk? I hope you haven’t been doing anything  _ too strenuous, _ ” these words are heavily emphasised by Mipha- she knows damn well what he’s like, and the way Daruk laughs sheepishly doesn’t fill her with any confidence. In the end, he shrugs.

“I’m fine, I’m fine! Your healing always works wonders, y’know that?”

Mipha titters, “It isn’t my healing I’m worried about,” she’s unsure of even that much, but says it anyway, “it’s  _ you _ . So long as you recovered well, that is alright.”

“Aw, you worry too much, princess! I’m tougher than that!”

The appearance of Daruk had not been  _ massively  _ surprising to Mipha, and she knows for sure that Urbosa, being the chief of the Gerudo, will be in attendance too, but that only leads her to wonder about Revali. Within Rito Village, Revali didn’t seem to have any standing, other than assumedly being the best archer. His status as the Rito Champion was the only thing that gave him any business at the castle, and, by extension, with the king as well. Did that mean he would be there too?

She can’t imagine he’d be all too fond of funerals. He’d already expressed his disdain for formal occasions, but she can’t imagine he’d go so far as to blow off the funeral of the king. That would just be insolence in its purest form! Though he  _ did  _ have quite the disrespectful streak- would it really stretch that far?

She supposes she will have to wait and see. They were already approaching the Great Plateau now, so there wasn’t long left until the ceremony was to start. Sidon, still hanging off of Mipha’s arm, looks up at her and asks, “Where are we going?”

“We’re going all the way up to the plateau,” she tells him kindly, “to the Temple of Time.”

Sidon’s mouth drops open in awe at the very title of the great temple. He’s never been there before, and, to be honest, he’s never even heard of the place. Mipha supposes she had yet to teach him about it, but seeing it first hand was probably a good experience for him. Sidon keeps his eyes trained on the very top of the plateau, right up until they begin to ascend.

It’s been a long time since Mipha had been up this way. It’s only vaguely familiar to her, but a memory of another funeral sets into her mind.

It had been the funeral of the late queen- Zelda’s mother.

She had been just a little bit younger back then, but had remembered seeing the little princess with a face like stone, standing by the side of her father for the entire ceremony. How awful she had felt for the girl, though she, too, could understand the pain of losing a mother. Her mother’s funeral had been small and peaceful, and, though it was just the few of them there, it had been attended in spirit by every single Zora in the domain and she had felt it greatly.

She squeezes Sidon’s hand tightly as they reach the top of the plateau and he has no idea why.

More familiar faces soon come into view. Urbosa is already there when they congregate outside of the Temple of Time, waiting patiently. She’s by herself- Mipha wonders if she regularly had accompaniment when leaving Gerudo Town. She supposes Urbosa is one of the last people in Hyrule who needs protection.

Her face is stone cold and solemn. Mipha can feel Sidon edging to stand behind her, holding onto her hand like his life depends on it, and it was about this point that he began to understand that this was the serious moment he had to behave for. He decides to stare at the ground and let the adults talk, watching silently as a beetle scuttles past his foot.

“Urbosa,” Mipha says gently- she’s familiar with moments of sincerity, but that doesn’t mean she necessarily enjoys them. For now, she’d like to establish at least some level of comfort with her fellow Champion, and she greets her with that intention. Urbosa maintains her stoic composure, but approaches them casually.

“Princess Mipha,” her voice is as smooth as Mipha remembers, and it’s almost as if Urbosa had sustained no damage at all during the Calamity. She trusts Urbosa to be more careful than Daruk or Revali, but even she’s come to realise Urbosa has quite the headstrong attitude about her.

“I hope you are well.”

It’s...horribly awkward, but that’s how funerals are, she supposes.

“Very well, thank you,” Urbosa gestures with a flick of her head, allowing her lava red hair to billow out from behind her, like a jet of fire against the cold grey of the plateau, far from the hot climate of her home. Naturally, she stands out immensely from the crowd.

There’s...nothing else really needing to be said. Mipha can barely find enough thoughts, let alone words.

Daruk seems to be hanging somewhere around the back, and Mipha suspects he isn’t all too fond of these sombre situations either. She can’t blame him- he’s not the best at small talk, and, from the looks of it, Urbosa isn’t either. In fact, she seems to be bypassing it entirely in favour of cold, solemn silence, and Mipha isn’t sure which is better. Not that she desires a cheerful atmosphere- not for a funeral- but...it felt so hollow and chilly here. It was like there was nothing.

Part of her wishes Revali would be here to at least make the mood less sour, but then she realises, actually, he’d probably be the worst at it out of everybody. He had less time for pointless pleasantries than all of them combined. Were all the Champions just cripplingly awkward? She sighs, but her face is thoughtful for a moment.

“Um...Urbosa?”

Only Urbosa’s eyes move, as she silently acknowledges Mipha, and...in all honesty, it’s a bit intimidating. She hadn’t been able to see much of her during her stay at the domain, so it’s not like she’d been able to get close to the enormous Gerudo, but...well, perhaps the concern of the funeral was what was causing this icy mood.

“I was merely wondering, who else will be attending? Do you know?”

Urbosa swings an arm out to place a hand on her (really quite large) hips, shifting her weight to one side as she concocts an answer, “Mmm. Well, aside from you and your family, Daruk and I, there would be the princess and Link, obviously-- they’re already inside,” she gazes up at the sky, “and I should hope Revali will be here soon. He has no excuse to be late.”

Mipha perks up but doesn’t realise it, “So he is coming?”

“Well, he was sent a letter, but whether or not he’s even read it is another matter entirely. He’d better be here soon, for his sake…” Urbosa trails off, quite threateningly, but there’s a sparkle of amusement in her eye that makes Mipha feel almost uneasy. She had a very strange sense of humour...

On edge from the tense atmosphere, Mipha decides to take Sidon towards the shade of a tree and wait out of the way of the other people. No doubt her father will have words with some of the attendees. Mipha can only assume, when she finally takes up his position, she will be doing something similar. For now, she’s more comfortable taking Sidon and watching from the sidelines.

Speaking of Sidon, he’s looking up at her with large eyes and a rather hesitant expression. Mipha knows this well by now, and she immediately asks, “What is it?”

The little fish prince clasps his hands behind his back, eyes trailing off as he quietly speaks, “Can I find a bug?” His voice is so tiny that Mipha can only assume he’s trying to make sure his father won’t hear his request. Her mouth twists into an odd line as she considers it. 

Well...he was just so adorable.

“You can find one bug, but you must let it go before we go inside.”

Sidon nods cheerfully, turning to scamper off, as Mipha calls behind him, “Don’t go too far-- and when I say one I mean only  _ one _ !”

She knows her father wants him to start understanding these particularly sensitive parts of life, especially since his lifelong role was an important one, but, simply put, Sidon isn’t really affected by the passing of the king. He’s probably seen him about once in his entire life, and, though Mipha doesn’t doubt Sidon has at least  _ some  _ comprehension of death, he’s not quite in a position to be personally afflicted by it.

To him, this was just a serious event that he had to attend, that he had no real personal connection with. Mipha figures she can allow him to occupy himself for the time being.

She keeps a watch over him out of the corner of her eye as he goes rooting through the patches bursting with long grass, wearing a big dopey smile on his face. He could be so convincing. Mipha has no problem being stern with him when the time calls for it, but she fears, if he gets any cuter, she’ll let him get away with murder. Not quite the record she wants to set as a member of the Royal Family- and Sidon was barely old enough to read let alone be exiled for his theoretical crimes. 

“Is a funeral really an appropriate place for a child…?”

Mipha jumps almost a foot in the air from where she’s sat, eyes darting around wildly to see where that sudden, foreign voice is coming from, but that familiar, soft shade of blue is all she needs to break out into a smile.

“Hello, Revali. It’s good to see you,” she can’t help herself- she feels so...excited! Well, it had been a while since she’d seen him, or any of the other Champions for that matter, but...something in her chest was squirming and giving her jitters.

Revali folds his arms, shifting to stand comfortably in front of her, “Yes, and you too. I had a feeling I’d be seeing you here.”

Mipha tilts her head to the side, “Well, it is a very important ceremony. Though I’m sure you’re here as a Champion, I am here as part of the Zora Royal Family- as is my brother. I am a princess first and a Champion second, so it’s vital I attend.”

Revali quirks a brow, “I see.”

He takes a seat on the stone next to Mipha with an unmistakable sigh- Mipha scoots over a little bit to allow room for him. The slight breeze that weaves through the trees over the Great Plateau disturbs his feathers, creating a pleasant noise that Mipha closes her eyes to listen to.

For a funeral...it wasn’t such an unpleasant time.

“So...that’s your brother, is it?”

Mipha’s eyes jolt open, as she remembers Sidon is exploring somewhere behind them. Revali is eyeing him over his shoulder, as he closely inspects the base of a large tree, “I suppose I didn’t see him during my stay at the domain.”

They momentarily observe him as he plucks some foreign objects out of the grass with a curious smile, unaware that he’s the focus of their conversation.

“He...looks an awful lot like you.”

Mipha flushes, unable to stop the joy from blooming on her face like wildflowers, as she occupies herself with watching Sidon to conceal the expression on her face, “Do you think so? I suppose that’s understandable- we do have our similarities. Of course, when he grows up he’ll look quite different but...oh, I think he’ll always be awfully cute.”

“That must be one of the similarities, then.”

Mipha watches Sidon silently, and it takes her a few moments to process his words but-- hold on, what did  _ that  _ mean? Her eyes bolt wide open as her fingers clasp together like a vice, not daring to move. Surely, that didn’t mean what she thought it meant! He wouldn’t say something like that, would he?

She suddenly turns to him, her desire for answers overpowering rational thought, and her fins almost whip around to hit her in the face as she quickly demands, “What...do you mean by that?”

Revali is  _ far too quick  _ with his answer, and suddenly, this whole exchange feels  _ very  _ unnatural, as he begins to explain faster than his tongue can keep up, “I apologise, I merely misheard you. I thought you were saying something about stature- though I suppose my knowledge of Zora anatomy is limited, so I may not have really understood what you were talking about. I was simply agreeing- the two of you do look remarkably similar. I assume you look like your mother…?”

Mipha listens to him with the most neutral expression she can muster. Now, she does her best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. She understands that one single interaction is not a decent gauge of a whole personality, but, for the first time in her life, she is utterly confident that every single word to leave Revali’s beak in the last thirty seconds has been nothing but bullshit.

She’d heard  _ exactly  _ what he’d said, and this sudden attempt to backtrack and repaint the meaning only reinforces her belief that he’d actually been trying to compliment her. On top of that, he’d effectively used her own words against her to call her cute.

Though the only opinion on romantics that she’d been able to get from Revali was that he was too busy for it, she can’t imagine he’d settle for ‘common’ compliments. He was a prim and pretentious individual, and that undoubtedly bled into his vocabulary, too. Yet, hearing him use such a roundabout way of...basically being  _ nice  _ was actually remarkably endearing. Simple. 

It leaves a very warm feeling on her cheeks that she subtly tries to rub off with her hand. 

“Well,” Revali clears his throat awkwardly, “how has your healing ability fared since I last saw you? I hope you’ve found a way to keep yourself stable.”

Mipha is happy to move the conversation along, though she will not be forgetting it for a while to come, “I’m...not all too sure. I haven’t had a need to use it since I healed you. I...suppose I will need to work on that some more,” what a solemn direction to turn. It’s not like she’d forgotten about that little mishap, but...what a way to ruin a rather nice moment.

Revali clucks his tongue as if he knew  _ all  _ about it (and, in fairness, he probably knew more about it than anybody else) as he reassures her, “I wouldn’t bother worrying about it. You healed me, didn’t you? Just use what you did back then and you’ll be fine. Sometimes the best way to go about it is to think of nothing at all.”

“That doesn’t seem very like you.”

“That’s because it isn’t,” Revali replies curtly, “It just works for some people, is all. It may work for you, it may not, but, honestly, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

Mipha smiles softly, but doesn’t say anything. Instead, the conversation delves into a soft, comfortable silence that pairs perfectly with the wind that whistles around them. That lasts about two minutes, before the small group gathered outside of the temple begins to move inside. 

Revali pulls himself up with an exasperated grunt, “I suppose we must go in now. As much as I respect the Royal Family, I...do not care particularly for funerals,” he admits, albeit quietly, and Mipha can understand why. Should he be unfortunate enough for Urbosa to catch wind of his words, he’d be skewers by nightfall, and that would put a pretty grim turn on an already mediocre day. She, too, gets up and calls for Sidon to return.

“I must say, I find that odd about you.”

“Eh?”

When Sidon begins to trot behind them, Mipha is happy to begin moseying towards the temple, as she explains, “Well, when I first met you, I thought you to be quite...um, quite a refined person. I actually thought all of the lavish ceremonies would appeal to you. I’m merely surprised that I was wrong.”

Revali can really only scoff, and scoff he does, “Must everybody assume that I’m some sort of superficial, performative idiot? No, I don’t care for such needless ceremonies. I’m far happier honouring these things by myself.”

Now that she hears it coming from him, she’s very much intrigued. However, she gets the feeling she isn’t the first person to incorrectly deduce this facet of personality from his behaviour. It only serves to further pique her curiosity- what kind of person  _ was  _ he?

“What about Rito ceremonies? You don’t participate in those?” as Mipha speaks, she silently urges Sidon to put the poor beetle down and hold her hand- he does so, but not without quietly bidding farewell to his short-term friend, who is eager to escape the grasp of the giant, but well-meaning creature. Revali, who seems to have been mulling the answer over, eventually sighs.

“I tend not to. I mean, sure- I’ll attend a wedding or two if I’m asked to, but… I don’t enjoy all the formalities. I’d rather skip them- I don’t see what’s so wrong about that,” he begins to frown slightly as he speaks, and Mipha gets the feeling he’s been chided about something to this effect before. Well, she can understand why. It’s easy to mark this behaviour down as insolent and selfish, but...she doesn’t think so. She thinks it makes sense.

“I see where you’re coming from,” she tells him, quietly, as they approach the large, stone doorway of the temple, “but right now we do have an obligation to fulfill- not to mention we must be there for the princess.”

“Yes, I know.”

Mipha holds tight onto Sidon’s small hand, and he gazes up at her, wondering to himself why she has such a strange look on her face.

* * *

The funeral is short. Shorter than Mipha would’ve expected for the king, but perhaps that was for the best. She hadn’t let go of Sidon’s hand during the entire ceremony, and, for quite a lot of it, ended up staring down at the floor. All she could really think was…

...poor Zelda.

She considers pushing through the new gut-wrenching sensation she felt every time she looked at her in favour of listening to her. Helping her. She wants to help her. She’s too young to go through this on her own. In fact, nobody should have to go through it alone, no matter what age they were.

But, during the moments where Zelda is not speaking, she notices Urbosa’s firm arm around her, and Mipha considers that perhaps this is not a situation that requires her help. After all, Urbosa is much closer to her than she is. She’d been there when her mother had passed, so it only felt right that she stay by her side.

Then there was the deal of the coronation- the date of that had been confirmed for some time in the coming month, and that was surely to be a joyous celebration, however the pressure it placed upon Zelda would be phenomenal. Was she really going to be okay like this?

As the funeral begins to finish up, Mipha shakes her head. She shouldn’t be doubting the princess like this. She may be young, but she’s strong, and she’s been in the position of royalty all her life. There’s no way she wouldn’t know what she was doing. Perhaps she should have a bit of faith in her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watches Link slowly guide Zelda away towards where Mipha assumes the burial will take place. Of course, the rest of them wouldn’t stay for that part, and that was fine by her- she thinks, since he's been trying to play with her fingernails, that it’s time to get Sidon back home to the domain. Glancing over at the door- now that people had begun to shuffle and murmur, signalling the end of the entire affair- Mipha notices Revali standing suspiciously close to the exit. Of course, he’d be the first to leave. She only hopes he’ll stick around long enough for a goodbye.

Mipha gently pulls Sidon in the direction of the door and he follows behind. Looking down at him, she smiles, “You did very well today, Sidon.”

Sidon gives her one of his biggest, sharkiest beams as, with a tint of hope to his voice, he asks, “Can I go find another bug on the way home?” 

Mipha has to contain a small laugh until they’re out of the temple, but she quietly agrees, “Of course you can. Just wait a little bit until everybody is gone, alright?”

She assumes her father will have some small matters to attend to before they head for home, so she decides waiting outside to be the best course of action. However, by the time they reach the door, Revali is already gone. He must’ve chosen to slink off as quick as he could. 

The weather hasn’t changed much since the funeral began. The sky is still a light grey, and Mipha can see a faint mist settling over the land in the distance. It does well to reflect the sombre mood of the funeral, and the damp layer blanketed over Hyrule by the mist makes Mipha think the land may be crying for its lost leader. As she finds her caught at the sight of it, Sidon almost immediately breaks his grip on her hand, charging off in search of new insect friends- she thinks he could make a decent entomologist if he kept this attitude up. 

Attempting to be subtle, she scans the area for that telltale flash of blue feathers, but, to her dismay, they couldn’t be seen anywhere. She plods down the path away from the temple, and she’s about to sigh dismissively, following after Sidon, until--

“Boo.”

Mipha shrieks in a manner  _ incredibly  _ unbefitting for a funeral, and, after recovering from the three foot she'd leapt into the air, she spins on her heel, almost tumbling over backwards at the sight of Revali practically looming over her. The look on his face is overwhelmingly slappable, and yet it makes her breath hitch.

“R-Revali!”

He emits a hearty, squawking laugh, standing back to allow Mipha to recover from her sudden shock, and- oh, he can’t help it, the look on her face is just positively  _ adorable _ .

A...adorable?

_ Had he really just thought that?  _ He winces to himself- this had just been like earlier. An awkward slip of the tongue, but he doubts Mipha had noticed anything. Well...it wasn’t a bad thing to consider someone physically attractive. Lots of people were. That was a reasonable excuse. 

Upon seeing Mipha’s monstrous pout, Revali coughs a little and regains his normal, calm composure, “My apologies, princess, I simply couldn’t help myself. You’re so jumpy today!” He does hope that he hadn’t actually upset her- he thinks he’s done enough of that for one lifetime. To his luck, Mipha doesn’t seem too angry, and he wonders just how much she'll let him get away with. 

“I wish you wouldn’t do that!” Mipha cries, but there’s a pleasant hint of amusement to her voice, “I worry you’ll be the death of me one day, honestly.”

“Oh, come now,” Revali waves a dismissive wing, “you’re overreacting. Besides, you were wearing such a gloomy face- it’s unbearable to look at. The funeral is over, why don’t you cheer up a little?”

A small smile cracks over Mipha’s lips, “The funeral’s only just ended, I can’t act like that just yet. It would be disrespectful,” her smile disappears as quick as it came, and her eyes are clouded with worry in a way Revali is becoming familiar with. After a moment, he tilts his head to get a better look at her face.

“Are you still upset about Link?”

Mipha jolts, raising her hands to silence him, “Please don’t say it so loud!”

“Oh, relax, it’s not like he’s here. I’m right, though, aren’t I? You’re very easy to read, you know,” he declares, smugly, “I should’ve expected you’d still be sensitive about it. I suppose some people find it hard to move past things like this.”

Mipha can only give a half-shrug. It wasn’t like he was wrong. Link had still been occupying her mind every now and then, but it hadn’t felt as sharp and burning as it had the day she’d seen them together. Now, it was just a dull, consistent ache.

“I just…” Mipha pauses, with barely any words to say, before managing to squeak out, “...I want it to go away. I know pain is a normal part of the process, but…”

She trails off. It’s not like there was much she could do about it, other than wait. She’s a firm believer in the healing properties of time. It had helped her recover from the death of her mother- a time when she thought she’d never be happy again. She knows all there is to do is wait, but even the wait is agonising, and she's come to learn that hope isn't happiness. 

Revali watches her for a moment, before shaking his head softly, “You’re thinking about it too much. What you need is a distraction.”

Mipha puts a finger to her chin thoughtfully, “A distraction…?”

“Well, anything could work, but it’s not like we have as many responsibilities as we did before, so you have all the time in the world to do whatever you like. Perhaps it would be in your best interest to know my village is renowned for our peaceful atmosphere,” his smile is flat-out cocky and Mipha squints up at him.

“What are you suggesting…?”

He shrugs noncommittally which is actually pretty uncommon for someone as decisive as him, Mipha notices, as he says, “What I’m suggesting is that...well, if you were to come and visit Rito Village, you’d have no trouble forgetting  _ all _ about Link.”

Visit...Rito Village?

The more she thinks about it, the more her eyes light up. She’d never visited Rito Village before. She’d often pondered their customs and traditions, and, well, this would be the perfect opportunity to see that for herself. She’d get to see the way Revali lived, and that...was actually a pretty strange thought. It would be a bit like going on holiday, right?

What a nice idea! Though she did still have her responsibilities at home. However, she doubts her father will forbid her from going travelling for a short while. 

She smiles sweetly, unaware of how excited by the idea she truly is, “That’s very nice of you to offer. I think I will consider it,” she doesn’t want to affirm it right away, but she has no intention of missing an opportunity like this. She doubts Revali goes around saying this very often.

Revali nods, “I should hope you will. I don’t normally waste my time accommodating people but I’m sure you’re a worthy exception.”

Before Mipha can argue his (admittedly poor) choice of words, he backs off, waving a wing, with quite a smile on his beak, “I’m sure I’ll see you at the coronation before then. Safe travels, princess~!”

Mipha’s ears are ringing with the hearty twang of his laughter, as he reels back and shoots off into the sky, leaving nothing behind but a harsh breeze that Mipha has come to enjoy the sensation of over her skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sleepover time at rito village!! its byob!


	19. Taste of Longing

The atmosphere of Zelda’s coronation is a stark contrast to that of the funeral, though it’s hardly unexpected.

On the days leading up to the event, Mipha had been surprised to find herself growing increasingly excited. Hyrule seemed to be far more alive now, buzzing with positive energy in preparation for the big day. Mipha doesn’t normally find herself so overcome with the euphoria of anticipation, but...perhaps this was just what Hyrule needed to finally pull themselves from the lingering dregs of Ganon’s darkness.

She could only imagine how busy Zelda must be, and, now that the day was finally upon them, she was nowhere to be seen. Of course, that was to be expected. It was likely Zelda would only show herself at the beginning of the ceremony, but...oh, how exciting! She hadn’t heard very much from her after the funeral- she could only assume she was mourning the loss of her father by herself, but Mipha hopes that this event will boost her spirits and her confidence.

Castle Town is busier than it’s ever been. It’s as if every inhabitant of Hyrule has managed to cram itself within the confines of this small area, all eagerly awaiting the beginning of the ceremony and the chance to see their new monarch. Though Zelda was always inevitably going to be queen, Mipha is unsure that she’ll ever see her as anything but a princess.

She wears her bright blue champion cloth alongside her normal ornamental jewellery, surprisingly to Zelda’s insistence. Their status as Champions was still uncertain for the time being, seeing as their roles had already been fulfilled, but Mipha can imagine that she would still be seen as the Zora Champion by the rest of Hyrule for quite some time. She was still the pilot of Vah Ruta, too, which isn’t something she particularly wants to give up. Ruta had given her such good company over time, even if the place was captive to the darkest of memories.

She deftly weaves through the crowded roads of Castle Town, doing her best not to be trodden on by anything larger than herself (which was unfortunately most things). Of course, Castle Town isn’t the only venue for festivities. Having travelled across from Lanayru, Mipha had seen the entire stretch of Hyrule Field covered with people from all four corners of the land. It seems that nobody wanted to miss out on this special occasion. 

Her own family had travelled alongside her, as well as probably most of the Zora from the domain. However, she’d left them back in Hyrule Field in favour of exploring Castle Town by herself, and perhaps maybe meeting a certain familiar Rito.

Ah, but...he didn’t really enjoy these things, did he? If Mipha had been instructed to wear her brazen blue garment then, no doubt, Revali must’ve been told the same. There was no way he really would miss this occasion, but, looking out at the throngs of people, this didn’t particularly look like a place he would enjoy. In fairness, she can’t quite say she’s a fan of heaving crowds either, but just for today, she thinks it’s all quite exciting.

The air is brimming with the scent of food and, though it’s quite overpowering, it’s beginning to make Mipha feel just a tad hungry. No doubt every person in Hyrule will be feasting heartily tonight, and she will be no exception...though perhaps she won’t go  _ quite  _ as overboard as some. However, she’s prepared to have a very good night tonight, despite...all of  _ that _ .

The moment the thought intrudes on her, she’s already shaking it off, determined not to let it get her down. Yes, she still loved Link very much, there was no denying that at all, and yes, Link was now happily taken with Zelda, and the two most likely spent all their time together and would continue to do so whilst she inevitably faded from both of their minds, to be forgotten for…

She sighs, suddenly pressing the palm of her hand over her eyes. What an awful thought to think. No wonder Revali had said she looked glum. How could she not?

She shakes her head roughly once more, this time focused on finding something around her to occupy her attention. Then, it comes to her like a stroke of luck.

She sighs. It’s like bliss.

For every time her mind betrayed her with thoughts of loss, that comforting shade of blue was always waiting around the corner for her. She can’t contain her relief. It’s a bit shaky and awkward, but she manages to stumble around the oncoming wave of people to approach a small stall, most definitely set up for today’s event.

She shyly lingers there for a moment, observing the stand. It was a small, rickety kind of thing, but made with a certain touch that was reminiscent of the patterns she’d seen Revali wear. Between that and the ornamental feathers the stall was adorned with, she could see there was a real aesthetic to it- yet more enquiries fill her mind, but today wasn’t the time for them.

He’s standing out front, doing his best to keep out of the main crowds that funnel through the roads, and he’s having a chat with the Rito that Mipha assumes is running the stall. He’s perhaps a little taller than Revali, with dark brown feathers and eyes- and, well, she knows she shouldn’t stare... but she didn’t see them very often. She keeps in mind the small tidbits of knowledge Revali had gifted her on the topic of his people, from the distinct braids, to the traditional clothing. Being able to apply this knowledge and recognise it in the world around here was something special. 

However...she doesn’t really want to interrupt. He seems quite content, chatting leisurely with the other Rito, and, just from where she’s standing, she can see a few others within the stall, all busy doing their own thing. From the billowing smoke that looms from the back, and the delicious scent that infects the air around her, she can only assume they’re selling food.

Speaking of food, they weren’t the only food stall set up in this section of the town. Just over the road, Mipha can spy a Goron establishment selling some mighty-looking roasted rocks. The Gorons over there are all laughing boisterously and having a good time. Unfortunately, she’s unsure she has an appetite for rubble right now (or ever).

Even further down the road, emitting a spicy, savoury scent, is a Gerudo stall that Mipha is intrigued by. Not only because the food seems to smell delicious, but her knowledge of the Gerudo was even more limited than her knowledge of the Rito, most likely due to her inability to actually visit the place. Though she’d never been to Rito Village, she at least plans to see it once. Gerudo Town, on the other hand, would be an impossible feat for her. Still...the food may be very good. She’s unable to decide.

She’s left to ponder her options for a moment, but, when she perks back up to check the Rito stall, Revali is staring straight at her, which is enough to almost make her crumple to a heap on the floor. How long had he been staring at her? That other Rito was looking at her strangely, too. Maybe they wouldn’t think it odd if she turned on her heel and left in the other direction.

But Revali offers her a small wave that only beckons her towards him. She sidesteps the large Goron walking in her direction and zips off towards the stall, having half a mind to just hide out of the way. Strange to see him here, though. She vaguely remembers him finding the ground claustrophobic- this can’t be pleasant for him.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Mipha thinks she’s been saying that an awful lot lately and Revali flashes her a withered look, responding with, “So am I. These crowds are unbearable. What’re you doing here, anyway? I didn’t pin you as a social butterfly.”

Mipha shrugs awkwardly, “Well, an event like this is quite rare. I thought I might as well see all there is to see,” she then gestures to the stall with an outstretched finger, “Are...you helping here? I apologise if I’m interrupting anything!”

Revali could not shake his head quicker, waving his wing as he does so, “No, no, no. No, I...I’m not cut out for work like this. I’m merely here because the man running this stall is a friend of mine. That’s all. I probably won’t stick around too long, anyway,” that last part is a bit of a grumble, and Mipha can only giggle. How very like him.

“That’s very nice of you. I suppose you may be a good way of attracting business.”

Revali frowns but in such a manner that Mipha suspects he may be pouting, “I hope not. I’m not here to advertise, you know. Though I can’t help it- I wouldn’t be surprised if my being here would attract a decent amount of attention,” he finishes off his words with a nice flourish, and Mipha beams.

“Well...you did a good job of attracting me.”

Ah…

Okay, well. Possibly not the best choice of words she’s ever made but she can work with this. It was...innocuous enough- she’s sure Revali wouldn’t find it odd. He’s probably too busy thinking about how long he has to waste his time in this overheated, overcrowded street. Mipha swallows nervously, but is confident in the fact that the situation was just fine and not awkward.

(In actuality, she couldn’t be further from the truth. Had she any idea of the turmoil raging through Revali’s head at the moment, she would be feeling far more anxious. Right now, he’s currently torn between two thoughts, which are ‘Is she saying I’m attractive?’ and ‘Where’s the nearest drink?’)

Mipha laughs it off for...possibly a bit longer than she needed to, hoping that Revali wouldn't ask her how her own foot tasted. 

Luckily, the situation is saved by the Rito from earlier- he pokes his head out from the stall with a cheerful expression, “Woah, it’s the Zora Champion! Welcome!”

Mipha wrings her hands bashfully, offering the Rito a smile, “Thank you. I hope I’m not being a distraction,” she’s unsure what’s making her feel so apologetic all of a sudden. This whole stall was just...Rito territory. She doesn’t belong here, she thinks- but...if she felt this out of place here, how out of place would she feel if she visited Rito Village? 

Before she can answer her own awful internal question, she’s shocked out of her thoughts by the other Rito, “Of course you’re not! Stay as long as you like! Could even buy some food if you wanted to…?”

“Wrett! Don’t badger her with your awful sales technique! I’m sure she’s very busy right now,” Revali nags, and Wrett laughs unapologetically. Mipha’s eyes dart between them, watching the exchange with concern. 

“Actually,” she manages to wriggle into their argument, “I...was actually thinking about finding something to eat,” she smiles shyly, scratching her cheek as she tries to look as comfortable as she can with the situation. Though Revali looks positively appalled by her statement, Wrett looks nothing short of delighted. 

“Sure thing! Come see what we’ve got!”

Revali rolls his eyes, shifting aside so Mipha can join him in front of the stand, and she emits the tiniest gasp. How familiar…

The front of the stall is lined with flat metal slats, heated from below by small fire, and atop them are rows of gutted fish, sizzling nicely and carefully decorated with perfectly sliced chilli peppers and crushed acorns. Now that she’s up close and personal, even the scent is familiar, and, before she knows it, her mind is rushed away to a warm night on Eventide Island. 

Her face is blooming with an enormous, delighted smile as she looks up at Revali, “Oh, you cooked these for me before, didn’t you? They look delicious.”

She doesn’t see it but, from the other side of the stall, Wrett perks up and the corners of his beak slowly grow into a big, teasing grin aimed straight for Revali, who looks...mortified.

“What? Revali, you never mentioned cooking for this lovely lady! And such an old-fashioned dish, too,” he says with barely contained joy as he begins to tease his fellow Rito. Said fellow Rito is looking close to spinning on his heel and just flying away, with an expression so sour it could rival a voltfruit. Unfortunately, ditching Mipha now would be the height of discourtesy and would not reflect well on him.

He settles for a meagre sigh, but doesn’t hesitate to glare daggers, knives, swords and arrows right in Wrett’s direction, which goes easily ignored in favour of the juicy new piece of information he’d just uncovered. Mipha is too busy marvelling at the well-cooked fish before her, potentially deciding which one she would like to eat the most.

“Well, I dunno if they’ll be as good as Revali’s, but they’re all good to eat now! Take whichever one you like!”

Mipha suddenly jumps up, hands twitching as she realises- ah, she hadn’t brought her purse with her. It didn’t quite fit with her champion cloth and ornamental jewellery so, for the ceremony, she’d decided to forego it but, alas…

Apologetically, she squeaks, “Ah…! I apologise, I didn’t bring my purse with me. Maybe I’ll have one another time,” she winces at her own silly mistake. What a fool she was! This had turned into the kind of awkward situation she’d been trying to avoid. 

Revali rolls his eyes with such an enormous huff, he can easily be heard over the din of the crowd, “You came out to get food and you didn’t even bring your purse?! I never expected you to be so scatter-brained. Don’t worry about it, I’ll get--”

“Hey, no need! It’s on the house, okay?”

Wrett cuts through Revali in fashion that Mipha has never seen anybody else do before, leaving Revali open-mouthed and appalled by his audacity. Mipha goes rigid suddenly, “H-huh? No, no, really-- I couldn’t.”

“Consider it thanks for all the work you did as a Champion! Go on, take one.”

Mipha pulls a tense face but tentatively reaches out to take one of them, and she cannot bow her head enough in gratitude, “Please don’t treat me differently from any other Zora- I may be a Champion, but I’m not entitled to such generosity,” she pleads to him. She’s already quite used to being viewed differently from the average Zora due to her status as princess, and, within the domain, that was fine, but, out in the big wide world of Hyrule, sometimes she wishes people would just overlook that part of her. She really was no different from anybody else. She had just happened to be born to a certain family.

Before she dares to take a bite, she catches Revali subtly tucking his wallet back into place with a rather bland expression on his face. He...was going to offer to pay for her, wasn’t he? Mipha isn’t sure whether this is uncharacteristic of him or not but it was certainly very kind of him, even if he’d berated her idiocy as he was doing so.

She decides to take a quick bite before Revali catches her staring at him, and-- 

She stops. Her tongue burns, and every other sensation feels dull in comparison. She’s not acutely aware of it, but the world around her begins to grind to a halt as a soft wave of familiarity crashes over her mind and leads her away to fonder memories. 

The fish is bubbling hot, catching her tastebuds by surprise, only to be overtaken by the sting of chilli peppers that spreads through her mouth. Her cheeks begin to flush almost immediately from the spicy taste, but, rather than being unpleasant, it feels like a harsh sunbeam lighting up her face, and she basks in the warmth. 

There’s a distinct earthy taste lying just below the surface that Mipha distinctly remembers noticing the first time she’d eaten it. It wasn’t like anything she’d eaten at home, and yet it felt so comforting. Accompanying the fresh, sizzling fish, it was like adding new and exciting elements to something she’d found solace in time and time again.

She smiles around the bite, her heart and mouth full of memories she longed for.

“How is it? Any good?”

She almost misses the question entirely, being so absorbed in the delicious savory taste of the fish- she’s unsure if she could nod any faster. Wrett looks pleased, emitting a small laugh as he dips back into the stall. Mipha glances up at Revali and he’s watching her...almost expectantly. Was she supposed to be doing something right now? What’s with that face…?

“Huh. Last time you ate that dish, you went so red you looked like a Bokoblin! I almost thought steam was going to come out of your ears. You must’ve gotten accustomed to it, I suppose,” there’s a teasing tone to his voice as he towers over her, observing her display, and all Mipha can think through the mouthful of spicy food is…surely there was some other red object she was comparable to! Why did he have to pick one of those ugly brutes? 

She swallows the mouthful, feeling it lightly burn her stomach as it goes down, and she clears her throat, “It’s still...very, very spicy but it’s delicious,” her voice is merry- she’s thoroughly impressed with the dish, but, before she takes another bite, she looks up at Revali, shy and adoring. He can see the colour of honey in her eyes, and thinks they look just as sweet.

“Don’t tell that other Rito, but...I think yours taste better.”

She giggles, partially hiding her face behind the fish in a conspiratorial manner before allowing herself another tasty bite, and Revali...does not know what to say to this. He’s not...exactly speechless, because he doesn’t plan to say anything, but the compliment leaves him rather frazzled for a moment.

Nobody had ever really complimented his culinary skills for one reason and one reason alone.

He’s never cooked for anybody before.

He’s never needed to. He’s only ever needed to cook for himself. Sure, if some kind Rito had made enough food to share (which happened quite often) he’d gladly accept a plate every now and then, but it wasn’t something he liked to rely on. In fact, he barely used the kitchen in the village anymore.

Ever since the Flight Range had been built, he’d used the cooking pot there to fix his meals more often than not, which meant he was actually rarely around the village during mealtimes. When he was a child, he’d hardly missed out on being fed. No child in the village did- it didn’t matter whose kid you were or where you came from, if you were around during dinnertime, you’d automatically be given a plate to eat. Refusing was futile, too. To refuse food would mean virtually battling every mother in the Rito Village, and even the most seasoned of Rito warriors wouldn’t dare do such a thing. No, his needs had easily been met during his childhood. 

However, once he began to grow, he’d tried to rely on himself a little more. Sometimes that meant having an apple for dinner, since his culinary skills were still limited. His teenage diet had consisted of mostly foraged vegetables and the odd bits he could afford to buy from the Slippery Falcon. That had been enough for him. 

Of course, the more you practice, the better you become, even if you’re unaware that it’s practice. Cooking may be very different from archery, but both are skills that can be honed. That wasn’t to say his cooking was unrivalled. He certainly wasn’t the best cook out there, but he could feed himself and that was enough for him.

He’d just never expected to end up cooking for anybody else. It had been unforeseeable for him, but, then again, he’d always been unsure how anything in his life would play out. It’s not like he’d planned any long-term goals, other than excelling at archery and developing techniques that would cement his name in Rito history, but it’s just one of the many things he wonders about. Perhaps things like that were out of his control.

He...didn’t want to think too hard on that. He knows damn well where it’ll lead him and now wasn’t the time for it. Not when Mipha was daintily nibbling on a dish he’d made for her no longer than a few months ago, eyes bright and full of cheer, reflecting the pleasant atmosphere around them. She looks like she’s enjoying herself.

He knows he should join her- he  _ wants  _ to but...how could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mipha: wow the taste of this fish reminds me so much of eventide island!  
> mipha:   
> mipha: did you put sand in this


	20. Sea Upon The Sky

The ceremony is...nothing short of incredible.

Had there been enough room within the castle, Mipha is sure every person in Hyrule would’ve been there, but, alas, they’d just have to make do with the people they could squeeze in. These were mostly people of importance within Hyrule and representatives of all the different races and regions of their vast land. 

Mipha is both representing herself and the Zora today, as she stands in the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle.

The princess, and soon-to-be queen, stands before them at the head of the room. The sunset barely scrapes through the glittering windows, hitting the delicate curve of Zelda’s face and casting a delightfully noble shadow.

Before her, stand the five Champions, positioned in a manner reminiscent of the day they were appointed as such. They all stand proudly, donned in their bright blue clothes, handmade by Zelda herself. Wearing them now, after the fall of Ganon, makes Mipha feel jittery. What an honour it truly was.

She glances over to her right. Out of the corner of her eye, the rest of the crowd- the civilians of Hyrule- occupy the shadows of the room, watching with wide eyes and barely stifled excitement. For a room packed full of people, it was deadly silent.

Urbosa stands directly to her right, gazing up at the young princess with an expression she’s unsure she’s ever seen before. A far cry from the stony face she’d witnessed at the funeral, her smile is barely contained and her eyes are soft and proud. 

Further on, stands Link, dead centre of all of them. His face mirrors Urbosa with that slight smile that occasionally twitches into an uncontrollable beam. He’s still so handsome, especially when he looks so happy. For a moment, Mipha feels a little bit nauseous. How long had it been since he smiled at her that way? 

Daruk is beside Link and he looks like he’s trying not to laugh. Daruk would never bother to hide such a grin- he knows this is a sacred ceremony but how could he? He may not know her as personally as Urbosa or Link, but he’s proud of her all the same. 

Revali is on the far end, and, from where she’s standing, she can barely see him. The flash of sunlight casts a bright azure hue on the tips of his feathers and his shining, green eyes are securely trained on the princess, but his expression is joyless. Sure, this was a serious ceremony (at least, for this part it was) but...why was he pulling such a sombre face? 

Mipha is sad to admit she’s not sure she knows him well enough to know why.

A member of the Sheikah is the one doing the anointing. Mipha assumes this is due to the close link between the tribe and the Royal Family, but she’s unsure if she knows this person in particular. Zelda stands patiently as they recite the traditional rites, and her face is unreadable. If anything, she looks worried, and Mipha hasn’t seen her enough today to gauge if she’s been anxious about this.

She’s looking unbelievably beautiful, though. She’s neatly dressed in her ceremonial coronation gown, and Hylia knows how long it must’ve taken to be made, but it’s a true reflection of her royalty. She looks every bit the princess she is. Well...was.

After the Sheikah stops speaking, Zelda bows her head in a most majestic fashion and allows them to neatly place the crown upon her head. It’s a breathtaking moment and the entire castle is bathed in an ethereal silence as Princess Zelda is crowned as Queen of Hyrule.

Nobody sees it, but Zelda shudders the moment the metal touches her head. It weighs far more than she’d expected, but it’s only worn for ceremonial purposes, so it won’t last long. Still, she holds her breath and wonders why her jaw aches so badly. She can barely bring herself to lift her head back up, but she knows she must. She must address her kingdom.

Was this really okay?

She’d felt so confident when she’d stepped out of the ruins of the castle following Ganon’s defeat. She’d felt like it was the beginning of a new era that she could lead with confidence, but, now that she was stood here, it felt like the strain of raw nerves. She does her best to hold in her quivers as she slowly raises her head, looking out above the sea of faces that gaze at her in awe.

She still doesn’t breathe.

But that’s alright, because the crowd of people surrounding her do it for her. There’s an incredible moment of anticipation where it feels like the atmosphere is physically lifting upwards, bracing itself for something enormous to drop back down, and Zelda almost topples backwards in shock when the entire room begins to cheer.

It’s not just one at a time, either, nor was it prompted as such. The joy hits the castle like a hurricane and Zelda feels like she’s in the eye of this particular storm. She can barely see everyone from where she’s standing, but does her utmost to look at every single face that’s calling out to her. It’s...becoming hard not to cry. She knows she mustn’t- she must be strong, especially now. It’s what she was taught to do.

But...when she realises the eruption of ecstatic cheers are flooding her anxieties and washing them away, she feels so happy. 

Through the tears that allow her worries to finally escape her body, where they’d been simmering for so long, she cannot help but beam and it’s like the light of the Goddess is reflecting on her face.

The cheers carry on for an amazingly long time- Zelda can barely contain her emotions. but, when the noise begins to die, she pushes herself to stand out in front of them and speak.

She swallows nervously, “I thank you-- all of you, for attending this ceremony. As the new monarch of Hyrule, I…” she’d spent all night writing a speech for this, but now she was here in the moment, it had all gone out of the window, “...I promise to you all that I will protect our land of Hyrule, and I will protect you. To every person who graces our kingdom, I will not let you down.”

As expected, this only begins to fuel the wild cheering, but Zelda does her best to press through and continue.

“However, this ceremony is not just for me.”

She takes a deep breath, smiling down at the five Champions standing before her, and it’s like seeing the light of the sun.

“Our home is safe...and Ganon has been vanquished. You must all understand that this would not be possible without these five Champions. Five great individuals from all four corners of Hyrule- they have worked and they have fought with true brilliance to keep our land from plunging into darkness.”

Mipha stares. It’s all she can do. Her brain is following, but her body isn’t keeping up, and if she were able to tear her eyes away from Zelda and observe her fellow Champions, she would be sure to see the same thing.

Zelda graciously bows her head, before kneeling down to the floor as she declares, “On behalf of the Royal Family and every single citizen of Hyrule, you have our gratitude. I thank you.”

Mipha can hardly breathe. Urbosa’s eyes are wide, but her mouth is set into a line. Link looks like he’s trying to stifle something. Daruk looks proud but also as if he really didn’t want to be here. Revali looks...purely unemotional. In fact, his face hadn’t seemed to change at all since she’d last looked at him.

“If you would turn around and face the people of our land- we are all eternally grateful. You are the heroes of Hyrule,” Zelda’s voice begins to crack as she finishes, but it goes unheard due to the sudden outburst of positive applause and cheers. The entire room is awash

with...Mipha isn’t even sure what it is, but it’s making fat tears brim at the corners of her shimmering eyes.

In front of her, amongst the crowd of people who share her home, is her father and her brother. She’s not sure she’s ever seen her father look so proud, and, even through the deafening din of the applause, Sidon’s wild cheering can be heard. She doesn’t hide it, because she knows she can’t, and unashamedly allows herself to shed a few tears.

The other Zora occupying the room- she can see all of them and they all shout just as loudly for her. She maintains her grace for them. The Gerudo chant at the top of their lungs for their chief, Urbosa, and their spirit reverberates as they do. The Gorons roar with all their might, clapping hard enough to bring the castle down (again) to honour the power of Daruk, and the Rito do not hesitate to chirp out and show their pride for Revali.

And every person, no matter race, age or gender, all call out for Link.

* * *

Hyrule Castle is abuzz with merriment following the ceremony of the coronation of the new queen. No doubt the celebration will last well into the early hours of the morning and perhaps beyond.

The main chamber of the castle is bustling. It’s bright and warm, like a glow of amber, from the many candles used to illuminate the large room, accompanied with the comforting scent of good food and laughs from all around. Music is being played in a corner by a skilled set of Sheikah, and people dance to the tune of the chipper melodies. It’s already well into the evening, so the celebrations are at their peak.

Mipha isn’t exactly what you’d call a party animal, but the atmosphere is positively delightful. Though she stands by the sidelines, holding a drink in hand, she still feels as if she’s part of the festivities. 

She hadn’t been able to see much of Zelda over the past few hours, seeing as she was all tied up greeting other guests, but that was okay. This was her night, and finally, at long last, seeing her face so full of life and happiness made Mipha feel secure in the fact everything would be okay.

Mipha takes a sip from her drink- she’s not even sure what it is but it’s very pleasant, and she delights in watching the people dancing in the crowded centre of the room. Earlier on, she’d danced a little with Sidon, allowing him to stand on her feet as they waltzed merrily around the room. He’d loved that- his beam is still etched into Mipha’s mind. Unfortunately, it was late now, and he had to retire to bed, leaving Mipha with no real reason to stay glued to the sidelines.

She watches with mild amusement at an enormous Gerudo lady dancing with a young Hylian man. She towers far, far above him, and Mipha suspects she might just pick him up and swing him around in a moment. Judging by the man’s face, he probably wouldn’t mind it all too much, either. What a lovely couple.

When she stands on her tiptoes, she can just about make out Urbosa above most of the crowd, chatting amicably to some other Gerudo. Daruk is nowhere to be seen from where she’s standing, but he’s probably eating and having the time of his life. Mipha had also eaten quite a bit earlier, but she hadn’t the stomach to keep up with the Gorons. How they could scarf down so much, she’ll never know. Still, with so much food having been made for the event, someone has to eat it all.

As she thinks that, she remembers catching sight of Link a few hours ago, chowing down with some Gorons. That boy had such an appetite, she could hardly believe it. He’d always been a good eater, ever since he was little. She supposes this must be like heaven for him.

But...as always, her expression is pulled down by the weight of her thoughts, bringing her mood with it. Why did she always have to think of that now? It was becoming so frustrating.

She backs up against the wall, allowing the cold stone to seep into her skin and cool her down- the atmosphere was causing her temperature to soar. Her drink ripples in the cup in her hand, reflecting a solemn face.

With a sigh, she begins to scan the area around her. She doesn’t think it, but she’s not going to let that thought ruin anything today. She’s had enough heartbreak-induced misery for a while. For now, she was going to search for Revali.

It strikes her as odd that she hadn’t bumped into him at all since the ceremony. His surly expression had been a surprise to her- especially since they’d all been honoured by Zelda. Sure, he wasn’t a ceremonial guy, but he was proud. He’d fought so hard and strived to rise above everybody else as the best of the best- even Mipha could figure that out without him having to say it- so why did he look so dour? He was achieving what she would assume to be a dream of his. He  _ was  _ the best and yet…

She fears he may have flown home already. It would be really quite sad if she was unable to see him at all tonight. Surely there was something here for him to find fun in. Did he dance? Mipha...can’t imagine it. Maybe he was a silent, loner type at celebrations. Maybe he ate and drank in peace, away from all the hubbub.

She decides to check the balconies. If Revali would be anywhere in the castle, it would be on a balcony. Failing that, she thinks maybe the roof.

It involves a lot of pushing and shoving through throngs of people to get anywhere near one of the open doors out onto the balcony. Mipha is so small, she’s practically squished between the bodies as she squirms to get out to the safety of outside.

Contrasting the almost suffocating heat of the castle’s interior, the cold wind of the outside feels pleasant on Mipha’s skin as she emits a much-needed sigh. How she managed to wriggle out with her drink intact is beyond her, but she silently thanks her own dexterity.

There are very few people out on this particular balcony. There’s a couple chatting quietly over in one far corner and a lone Gerudo looking out on the horizon, drinking by herself.

His feathers are so dark against the night, she almost misses him entirely.

He’s tucked himself into a corner- something Mipha finds odd and possibly contradictory to what she’d seen of him before. He’s leaning heavily over the stone wall that separates them from a fatal drop, hunched away from everybody else.

Concern is naturally the first thing that flashes through Mipha’s eyes, as she inaudibly approaches him. She hesitates for a moment- he appears to be staring down at the ground and not doing much else. After a moment of contemplating it, she carefully reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder.

He flinches, but doesn’t jump.

It takes a moment for him to tilt his head and even longer to register the fact Mipha was standing right next to him. The slightly glassy look of his eyes and the lack of a quick-witted greeting suggests to Mipha that...well, he’s probably drunk.

That and the nearly empty cup he’s holding in his hand, dangling dangerously over the edge of the wall. She almost wants to take it off of him, but figures nobody would mind if just one cup got broken.

“I thought I would find you out here,” Mipha says, sidling up beside him, “I haven’t seen you since the ceremony ended.”

Revali grunts noncommittally. It’s...not an answer.

“Are...you alright?”

With a frown, Revali downs the dregs of his drink and then shoves the cup off to the side. He exhales harshly, before responding lowly, “Oh, I’m  _ just  _ fine. Fine and dandy, thank you very much.”

Mipha suspects this  _ could  _ be a lie.

“I suppose you do not like such crowds. For a moment, I thought you’d gone home already,” Mipha takes a polite sip of her drink, trying to keep her words as up in the air as possible. Revali hangs his head, grumbling something under his breath that sounds like something along the lines of ‘I wish I had’.

Mipha allows a period of silence, staring up at the moon hanging brightly in the night sky. It’s a remarkably beautiful sight- perfect for tonight’s occasion. However…

...the silence was not a comfortable one.

Not with the way Revali was partially (and probably unintentionally) swaying and mumbling under his breath. He’s definitely not trying to talk to Mipha, but she’s finding his attitude a cause for concern. Was he just a really angry drunk?

She hopes not. She  _ really  _ hopes not.

She places her hand back on Revali’s shoulder, feeling the tight leather of his pauldrons over the pads of her fingers, “Revali, you...do not look well.”

“I’m fine,” he repeats, bluntly, and with quite the force behind his tone, but Mipha just can’t understand why.

She thinks about it. Revali was not the type to be pushed and prodded. If she pressed him in the wrong way, there’s no doubt he would flounce off and disappear, and that would only serve to make matters worse. She might even end up erasing some of the progress she’d made in their relationship, and she’d like to avoid that if she can help it.

She purses her lips, deciding perhaps mirroring his blunt nature is the best way to go about it.

“I am not an idiot. I can tell very well you are not happy. Now, I’m not going to badger you until you tell me why, but I just want you to know that I would like to listen to you. I… I’m just worried about you.”

She winces with every word, but figures this is the best she’s got. It’s hardly an offensive statement- it’s purely fact, and the lack of immediate response from Revali’s side makes her think he may be considering it. 

After a while, he just says, “You’re always worried ‘bout something. It can’t be good for you.”

Mipha emits a small hum of amusement, “That is a sweet way to deflect the question. If you’re  _ that  _ concerned about my worries, why don’t you quell them and tell me what’s going on?”

Revali rolls his eyes- or, at least he tries to. It’s a bit shaky, and has lost its normal sting, but Mipha gets the gist nonetheless. A voice bubbles in his throat as he attempts to get some words out, and, after some incoherent murmuring, he manages to say, “You’re...you’re too kind for your own good.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“It’s...it’s dangerous!”

“Is it?”

“Yes!”

He manages to get himself upright, but with the way he is now, he’s got no idea what’s up and what’s down. His wings extend, almost hitting Mipha in the face, and she sighs, knowing that this is where the gesticulating begins. Again.

“You...you risk an awful lot by...being so sweet. Do you not realise that? People could-- people could easily...take advantage of you. That’s...bad.”

She wants to laugh. She really does. Instead, she thinks she’ll just save this memory forever and continue to listen quietly. She won’t tell him about this, though. Not when he’s sobered up.

“I am well aware. I have been told time and time again, and I know that perhaps I am at risk of getting hurt, but...I choose to carry on of my own volition,” she nods her head in an affirmatory manner, before smiling up at him, hoping he’ll see it, “but it’s incredibly sweet of you to say so. I’ll be just fine.”

Revali pulls a face of mild displeasure, rocking side-to-side as he tries to concoct a coherent answer, “Of… of course you are. You’ll always be fine.”

He goes back to the balcony wall, but something feels very amiss about that answer, and Mipha just can’t put her finger on it. It sounded so...dismissive. Was he just trying to play off his show of concern like it was nothing? Why did he have to be such a confusing individual? Mipha can hardly wrap her head around him, and, even then, there’s so many things she’s sure he’s hiding away from sight.

Still...that’s never deterred her in the past.

“What makes you say that?”

“Huh…?”

Mipha gazes up at the sky, thoughtfully, “Well...I say I’ll be fine, but I don’t know that for sure, do I? There’s plenty of chances for me to trip and fall. What makes  _ you  _ say I’ll be fine? You don’t normally take my word for things.”

Though a half-smile graces her lips, she’s gauging Revali’s reaction out of the corner of her eye. He looks borderline defeated and unsure of what to say, until he just sort of...gives up and talks without restraint.

“Because you’ve-- you’ve always been fine. You… you fought that-that-- whatever the  _ hell  _ that hideous infestation on our Divine Beasts was. You...not even that-- you fought that and then you...you healed all of us. Even when you- you were...you were injured….you still…”

He sighs, resting his head atop one of his wings and staring out at the darkened horizon, and Mipha is unsure she’s ever seen him look so glum. Back in the domain, when he’d been staying with her due to injury, he’d looked more frustrated than anything else, but here...he looks almost sad. Why would he look so sad when he was singing her praises?

“I feel as if you are giving me far too much credit. I may have fought the blight but… I lost.”

“...what?”

“I lost. I lost to the blight. If…” she trails off, laughing humorlessly at the memory, “...if you had been there to see it, you would’ve laughed. The state I was in...had the princess and Link not come to my aid first, I would surely be dead.”

Revali doesn’t say anything. He looks down at nothing in particular. Looking down for the sake of looking down, she supposes.

“Hearing such commendations from you is truly special, but...I am not as deserving of them as you think I am. I fared about as well as the rest of you, but I am just happy none of us perished during the battle. I think...we have Link and the princess to thank for that.”

A frown appears on Revali’s face as he grizzles under his breath at the thought. In the end, he shakes his head, and Mipha watches his newly plaited braids swish back and forth; he speaks before she has a chance to continue.

“Why...why aren’t you back in the castle, anyway? Go and...go and have a good time.”

Mipha tilts her head, smiling unapologetically, “I was finding it quite difficult to have a good time without you.”

Revali double-takes, but it’s not too obvious, and neither is the slight prickling of his cheek feathers, “What? What, do you need me around to have...a good time? What a weird thing to say.”

Mipha’s lips bulge into a pout, “It isn’t weird at all! Everybody else is busy- my brother has gone to bed so I have no need to look after him at the moment. I suppose...I just didn’t--”

“You didn’t have anyone to talk to...right?”

There comes that smug expression again. Honestly, it’s a slappable expression that invokes true frustration, and yet, right now, Mipha is overjoyed to finally see it.

“Perhaps…”

Revali picks his cup back up, shaking it back and forth to indicate the lack of liquid inside it, “Well, if you’re pressed...for companionship, I suppose I could- I could accompany you inside to get another drink. If...you’d like?”

The slight question at the end of his sentence makes Mipha’s lips twitch up into a small smile. He’d sounded almost hesitant to ask. Mipha, however, doesn’t hesitate to nod, as they begin to mosey back in the direction of the celebration, “That would be lovely, thank you.”

* * *

As the night grows late, more and more people disperse from the castle and head out into Hyrule Field. The enormous stretch of grass is bustling with crowds, and their shouts and cheers can be heard all over the land. The castle is still stiflingly busy, but far more bearable than it had been earlier.

Bearable enough that Revali had decided to stay with Mipha.

They’re leant up against the wall where Mipha had been loitering earlier. People watching isn’t what Revali would consider a hobby of his, but he has to admit it’s better than being up close and personal to them. 

They’d actually been conversing earlier. Mipha had brought up the idea of visiting Rito Village again, suggesting that it could be a good experience for her and Sidon. Revali isn’t exactly  _ against  _ children, but he gets a funny feeling Mipha will be entirely occupied with him if she chooses to come and stay. Still, he thinks it would be quite a shame if he didn’t at least show her around a little bit. She would be quite an honoured guest, so he’d accepted her proposal. After that, however, the conversation had died a little bit.

He hasn’t stopped drinking since earlier, but, due to the lower intake of alcohol, he’s perhaps a tiny bit more sober than before. Enough to have his wits about him. Mipha, on the other hand, seems to be catching up to him. She’s wearing a silly little smile, and she has no real reason to smile right now, other than the fact they were meant to be celebrating.

He leans down (and somehow manages not to tumble over on top of her because it's a long way down to her level), and speaks loud enough for his voice to be heard over the haze of noise, “Aren’t you getting...bored just standing here?”

Mipha pauses, before returning, “Weren’t you getting bored being outside on your own?”

Revali huffs because, well...alright, he won’t admit it but he wasn’t exactly outside to have a good time. He was only outside because it was the most bearable place to be. Mipha coming along had just been...an improvement to the situation.

He doesn’t reply, but he watches Mipha’s longing gaze, fixated on the people dancing in the centre of the room. Her lips are curved in that trademark little smile of hers, but her eyes are creased with an emotion he can’t verbally identify. However, there’s that little piece of his brain which seems to know these things on a subconscious level.

Perhaps...he could…

I mean, would she really say no? She kind of looked as if she were longing for it, so...he would just give her the opportunity, right? Yet, somehow, he feels so warm, and swallowing makes his insides feel clammy and disgusting. Part of him just wants to return to that corner on the balcony and drink until he can't even fly anymore.

He sets his cup aside on a nearby table- it’s been empty for some time- and he almost regrets not drinking more before he's sidling up to Mipha. Taking a deep breath, he leans down to whisper in her ear.

“Would you care for a dance?”

The slight warmth that Mipha can feel from his breath is tickly, and she has to physically restrain from visibly shuddering at the bizarrely pleasant feeling. However she’s far too occupied with his words. Did he...want to dance with her? 

That didn’t seem like him...did it? She’s totally unsure, but...well, he  _ was  _ asking. 

Why would she refuse, when the offer brought her such an uncontrollable smile?

His wing is outstretched to her, beckoning for her to hold, and she tentatively reaches out, placing her small hand there. His wings are so large, it’s like her hand disappears amongst the mass of blue feathers, but it’s so warm. It’s...comforting.

It reminds her of the waters of home.

She allows him to lead her out to the centre of the room, where a soft and merry melody is playing- the songs had bloomed into something slower and more tender, as the night grew on; people were beginning to unwind a little now. A few of the candles have been blown out, creating a soft, dim haze that only seems to add to the sweet, serene atmosphere. There’s still a few people still dancing, all swaying to the beat of the music, and Mipha can’t believe she’s going to be a part of it.

The tall Gerudo with the small Hylian companion are still dancing, looking as jovial as they had been earlier.

Mipha swallows nervously, allowing Revali to take her other hand, and, well, she’s never properly danced before, other than for fun with her father, and she’s not about to tell him that. That is, until he tilts his head and graces her with that signature smirk.

“Have you ever danced like this before?”

Mipha almost buckles. How absurd his timing could be- yet she can’t bring herself to lie to him. She shyly shakes her head, and the little bits of silver adorning her head tinkle quietly, “I have not. Have...have you?”

Revali kind of shakes his head, as if he’s torn between two answers, but he replies, “I’ve danced before during village celebrations. Nothing as fancy as this, though. How hard could it be?”

Mipha laughs and, even over the music, Revali can hear and it sounds like a perfect accompaniment to the melody. Had he not been watching her, he would’ve sworn the stars outside were twinkling loud enough for him to hear, and Revali thinks it may be the most pleasant sound he’s ever heard. 

He doesn’t take his gaze away from her face as he pulls her closer, taking one hand and placing it on his chest- it’s about as high as she can reach from where she is- and putting his hand on her waist. However, his wing just dwarfs her, and he’s doing his best not to touch more than he should.

Mipha notes he’s still wearing his armour, but the desire to close the gap between them and rest her head there is very high. Between the delightful music and the calming warmth of his feathers, she feels lost, and she doesn’t particularly care for being found.

To her surprise, it’s not at all awkward when they begin to find the rhythm and move to it. The movement isn’t too much either, it’s more like gentle rocking, but it’s all Mipha had ever dreamed of. The moment is comfortable.

She timidly looks up- he was so tall! However, it seemed like he was doing his best to keep things at her level. He tilts his head down so he can properly see her, and Mipha isn’t sure she’s ever seen him smile from this angle. It’s not his normal smirk, either. It’s been replaced by something...tender. His eyes aren’t narrowed in the usual condescending manner. They’re slightly lidded- relaxed. He looks achingly handsome.

He’s thinking something along the same lines. Her smile was always kind and gentle, but her eyes are sparkling in a way he’d never seen before. Her hands felt so small and delicate- he’d realised how dainty she really was when she’d clambered atop his back for the first time, yet she was such a powerful individual. Looks could truly be deceiving. 

Mipha cannot even begin to gauge the thoughts that may be going through Revali’s head but she’s far too busy trying to memorise every inch of his face. The feathers surrounding his eyes look so soft. She wants to reach up and run her fingers through them, gently tousling the rich-coloured plumage. Would he mind…? They’d been drinking but would he even notice? All she would have to do is extend her hand.

She decides not to, but that doesn’t stop her from thinking about it for the rest of the night, unaware that this memory had replaced the loss she’d been grieving, as night was turning to day, blonde was turning to blue, and the sea was meeting the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're probably dancing to the hylian equivalent of phil collins idk


	21. The Journey Out

Not long after the coronation ceremony, with the hazy memories of a wonderful night still deeply embedded within her mind, Mipha is excited to finally set out for Rito Village. It had taken quite a bit of courage on her side, but that had been mostly overshadowed by her desire to see her dear friend again.

It was her first time visiting the small hamlet, and she had a lot to look forward to. So, the morning of the trip, she’d excitedly squeezed Sidon’s tiny hand in anticipation for a marvellous vacation. The journey would certainly take quite a while, travelling from one side of Hyrule to the other, but she knows it’ll be worth it. However, her anticipation builds up an energy that makes her feel like she could do the trip in an hour, so, when they set off, she has an incredible bounce to her step.

“Thank you for agreeing to assist us, Trello,” Mipha’s gratitude is evident in her voice as she, Sidon and Trello begin to leave the gates of Zora’s Domain. A few of the posted guards wave the young prince off and Sidon beams back at them, calling out his goodbyes.

Trello sighs, though not unpleasantly, “Of course, princess. Your father agrees it may be good for you and the young prince to visit other settlements. Maintaining good relations and whatnot- however I have no intention of letting you wander off to foreign lands unprotected.”

“Oh, Trello, Rito Village is hardly a foreign area. We’re still in Hyrule- this isn’t the age of the Calamity. We will be just fine, I assure you,” Mipha giggles, as she allows Sidon to let go of her hand and run on ahead. Trello had always been quite protective, as were most of the Zora within the domain, so there was no chance of her being able to leave without  _ some  _ form of company. However, with Sidon in tow, this became even more important. Normally, Mipha would argue on being escorted everywhere, but, with her brother here, she appreciates the security. 

The two briskly cross the bridge, leading them out onto the twisting mountain path. Mipha watches Sidon from a distance as he closely inspects a plant, pulling at some of the leaves with curiosity.

“How is your son?”

Trello perks up, scratching the back of his neck as he responds, “He’s well. He doesn’t need me to stick around and babysit him anymore-- but he’ll keep out of trouble if he knows what’s good for him.”

Mipha emits an amused noise. Rivan had certainly been quite a boisterous youngster. Her memories of Link and Rivan playing together alongside other Zora children are vivid. They were always such little troublemakers. It’s quite nice to see Sidon following their footsteps and having fun in the process.

But… it was a shame to see Link become so disconnected over time. There had been a period of time where she hadn’t seen him, and he’d grown so much since then. It saddened her that she’d missed out on it, but not as much as when she’d met him again. If not for his unmistakable bright, blue eyes she thinks she might not have even recognised him.

How he’d changed. She supposes such is the burden of a true hero, but did that make it alright? Was it selfish of her to think otherwise?

She wonders if he’ll ever return to be that sweet, impish boy she’ll always remember.

* * *

The journey was about as long as Mipha had expected, and, surprisingly, not too arduous. There was plenty to see on the way over, so Sidon had a very good time (though at the expense of Trello’s patience.) This kind of atmosphere does well to lift Mipha’s spirits, though she does find that the few remains of the Guardians still littered around the place puts a bit of a damper on her mood. They all seem broken and deactivated, but she urges Sidon not to go near them.

They remind her a little too much of that hideous blight. 

It prompts her to wonder just what kind of adversary Revali had faced upon Medoh. Had it been the same as the one on Ruta? Looking back on it now, it seems like Ganon had planned around their Divine Beast strategy, which was a mortifying thing to consider. What if those blights had been forged with their weaknesses in mind? No wonder she never stood a chance…

Nonetheless, she is eternally grateful to Link and Zelda for the outcome of the battle. Surely, had they been a little slower, she would be no more. She’s thankful for this every time she looks upon the sweet face of her young brother. Would he struggle to grow up without her? 

No, this was meant to be a trip. A vacation. She was meant to be letting go of these worries, not exacerbating them. She couldn’t allow herself to dwell on the past. At least...not for now.

So she shakes her head free of those burdens as they reach the peak of the hill that overlooks the Tabantha region. It’s a breathtaking sight.

The deep-coloured waters of the surrounding lakes glisten white- it’s not a sunny day, but it’s still quite bright, and Mipha enjoys it nonetheless. It blends well with the snow-tipped mountain range she can see looming above in the distance. She leans down and points over to it, “Sidon, look at those mountains. They’re enormous!”

Sidon’s eyes are wide and sparkly, “Wow! Are we gonna see snow?! Are we, are we?” he balls up his little hands, shaking them with unbridled energy. Snow had never managed to properly settle around the domain, so this is an exciting time for them both. Though she doesn’t show it externally, Mipha is as raring to go as Sidon is, but it takes all of her strength to stop him from running off ahead.

She quietly hopes Trello won’t have his hands too full with him whilst she’s visiting Revali. She doesn’t want to just leave him behind to look after the small prince, but...well...it  _ would  _ be nice to have a quiet, private conversation with Revali. Perhaps after Sidon had been wrestled into bed.

It had been setting her nerves on edge for the entire journey- thinking about seeing him again. She hadn’t remembered too much of the night of the coronation, but there’s an unmistakable memory of being embraced by those soft, blue feathers, accompanied with sweet, melodious music. It’s little more than a blur now, but the tingle over her skin it provides her is enough.

Her thoughts are occupied by that warm memory, as they walk down the hill. Sidon is positively buzzing, chatting excitedly to Trello about who knows what- Mipha isn’t paying too much attention. So much so, she almost trips over a rock lodged into the ground as they begin to reach Rito Stable.

It’s nice to see people back in the rhythm of their daily lives. She doesn’t normally stop by these stables, but the atmosphere is pleasant and the horses are quite adorable. With a small smile, she vows to come back this way and perhaps give one of them a treat; after this trip was over, of course.

The gates that lead up to Rito Village are right in front of her, and, now that she’s looking at them up close, she can see a similar architectural pattern between the archway and that stall from the coronation ceremony. The painted wood adorned with feathers- it’s something Mipha finds to be quaint. 

However, what’s not so quaint is the enormous stone bird hovering above them. This must be Vah Medoh- Mipha can barely take her eyes away from it. It was enormous! Of course, her own Divine Beast was quite large too, but seeing the bird suspended in the sky (with seemingly nothing to keep it from dropping right on top of their heads) is far more intimidating. The way its shadow passes over the town as it circles overhead is more ominous than protective.

There’s a Rito pacing back and forth in front of the bridge- he’s holding a thin spear, and his eyes are darting all over the place. Vigilant. It reminds her of the guards at home. Guardwork was quite a noble profession, she thinks. Perhaps a little stressful, perhaps a little boring, but it was necessary. 

She doesn’t want to be rude, so she approaches the guard with a smile, “Hello. We’re here visiting your village- I hope you don’t mind if we pass through,” not that she really  _ needs  _ explicit permission, but it was only polite. However, the guard suddenly jumps to attention.

“A-Ah, you’re the princess of the Zora! We’ve been expecting you!”

Expecting...her? Wait, were they aware of her arrival? Mipha can only assume Revali has spread some word of her stay around the village, but for what reason? Well, if she wanted to find out, she only had to ask.

“So, you knew I would be coming?”

The Rito nods fervently, “Yes, of course- and the young prince, too. Master Revali mentioned it a few days ago and said we should stay vigilant.”

Oh...well, that was a surprise. Mipha is used to being in a position of nobility and being treated as such, but she’s unsure if that’s really how she wants this to play out. Just a small, quiet stay was all she desired. She hopes he hasn’t gone too far with this.

“That’s very kind of you. I promise, there is no need for any extra care. I do not wish my stay to inconvenience your village,” Mipha assures, almost frantically. Sidon watches between this mystery Rito and her sister, wondering what was going on. 

The Rito waves his wing, “It’s never a problem for us. As part of the Zora Royal Family- and as a Champion- it’s actually quite important to us that we keep you safe. Master Revali holds you in such high regard. If we let you down, we’d never hear the end of it…” he finishes off with an awkward chuckle, which Mipha turns into a chorus. 

He held her in high regard? Coming from Revali, that was definitely high praise. That was hard for a man like him- you’d have a better chance pulling teeth out of him than a compliment, what with that condescending nature of his. He’d barely be able to acknowledge such ability, let alone praise it.

Though, as this thought passes by, she comes to realise that that’s a side of him she hadn’t seen for quite some time. His normal cocky tone and desire to elevate his own abilities above anyone else’s was something Mipha had been used to, yet now that she thinks on that, he’d been far more placid recently.

How nice. She had feared the idea of accidentally destroying their relationship several times in the past, but, if they were at this point, he must find her pleasant in some manner. It puts a real spring in her step, as the Rito begins to escort them up across the bridge.

It turns into quite the hassle, though. It had taken twenty minutes to drag little Sidon across the bridge that spanned the Tanagar Canyon. He’d been utterly enthralled by the sheer drop beneath them- something Mipha just cannot fathom. Her grip on his hand had been like a vice that entire walk. However, now it appeared that they had several bridges to cross, and Sidon was already trying to stick his head through the rails to look at the water below. Mipha withers.

“S-Sidon, please don’t do that. If you get your head stuck, I won’t be able to get you out!”

Sidon quite literally does not care. This is an incredibly exciting time for him, and he’s about to make the best of it. Even with Mipha’s insistence, he doesn’t seem to want to budge at all. In the end, they settle for letting him edge across the bridge slowly.

Trello chuckles, albeit with exasperation, “Well, it makes for good practice. If you ever decide to have children of your own one day, princess, you’ll know what to expect.”

The comment makes Mipha squeak. Children? Her? 

Well...she  _ had  _ thought about it before. How lovely it would be to become a mother. Her own mother had been so gentle and sweet- all Mipha had ever wanted was to be like her. However, she’d never really thought about it in depth. It had simply felt like a distant dream. Either way, it makes her cheeks feel quite warm. The Zora children were so very cute, she found it so hard to be stern with them when the time called for it. How would she ever be able to say no to her own offspring?

For a moment, she wonders what Rito children are like. She’d tried several times to imagine just how Revali might’ve looked as a child, but she’d had no frame of reference to even hazard a guess. They were most certainly a curious bunch of people.

(Needless to say, Mipha is absolutely  _ delighted  _ to see a two-foot little ball of fluff with oversized wings and a cute, feathery little tail trotting by as they ascend the village. She actually stops dead in her tracks, frozen by the fuzzy, maternal feelings this tiny little Rito provides her. However, she is mortified by the fact she will never be able to see Revali at such an age. Truly tragic.)

The inn that they were staying at, aptly titled the Swallow’s Roost, is just a short jaunt away from the main gate, but Mipha finds herself astonished by the tiny village.

She hadn’t expected it to extend upwards, rather than outwards, and when she looks up, she can see the Rito all milling about, doing what they normally did. It looked so peaceful. Such a cozy little village is a stark contrast to the vastness of Zora’s Domain. She can only imagine what it must be like to live such a quiet little life. Did Revali really live here?

“Um,” the proprietress begins, awkwardly, “I hear that you Zora actually sleep in water. I’m sorry we don’t have very much here to accommodate you with, but you’re welcome to leave your things here! We will take good care of them.”

Mipha waves her hands as she hurriedly explains, “It’s alright! We can stand a few nights, and I’m sure there are spaces in the area should we need them. It’s very kind of you.”

The proprietress beams, happy to offer as much as she can. She leans down to Sidon to greet him properly, “Hello! You can call me Ula, alright? Did you have a nice journey?”

Sidon grins. His teeth flash as he chirps, “Lots of bridges!”

Mipha...is growing increasingly worried for his safety. She pats his head with an almost nervous chuckle, as Ula continues.

“Actually, I have a little daughter who I think is about your age. If you’re feeling bored, I’m sure she’d be happy to play with you.”

Sidon suddenly grabs onto Mipha’s hand in a sudden twist of shyness, looking between Ula and Mipha. A new friend to play with? An exciting yet daunting prospect. The little nudge he receives from his sister is encouraging.

“It’s okay, Sidon. You might get quite bored listening to Revali and I talk- why don’t you go and make a new friend!”

Sidon tentatively looks back at her, as the proprietress says, “Her name is Tilli. Why don’t I introduce you whilst your sister visits Master Revali?” she extends a wing out to him, which Sidon automatically finds curious, as his knowledge of the Rito is still quite limited. Nonetheless, he allows her to hold his tiny hand.

“I’ll come and keep an eye on him,” Trello decides, trailing behind the two of them as they begin to leave, “Will you be alright, princess?”

Mipha nods, “Yes, I will be just fine. Thank you.

“Oh,” Ula suddenly pipes up, “Master Revali is probably already on his way down now. If you stick around here, he won’t be much longer!”

Mipha bows her head, graciously, and quietly watches them leave. How nice it would be for Sidon to make a new friend in a new place. She hopes he’ll be alright, but he’s always been quite tough for a child. Either way, with Trello there to keep watch over him, he’ll be just fine.

She daintily takes a seat upon one of the beds.

Well...she was here.

How nerve-wracking! She hadn’t expected this day to come so soon. To be honest, if you’d told her months ago she would be visiting Revali in his home village, she would’ve been quite doubtful. Yet, here she was, nervously awaiting his arrival. She hasn’t felt this jittery since the last time he’d taken her flying. Her feet tap habitually against the wooden floor, as she looks around the large room.

Strange architecture, in her opinion, but not entirely foreign. Unlike Hylian houses and villages, the Rito seemed to go for something far more open, similar to what she’s used to at home. They don’t really feel the need to pursue the same amount of privacy as the Hylians would prefer, but that’s merely a cultural difference. So, despite the visible differences between them, she feels quite at home here.

It was so cozy, too! She can’t quite get enough of how comfortable this place feels. The ornamental feathers are pleasant to look at, and the warm glow cast by the lights makes Mipha feel relaxed. 

Mipha just can’t wrap her head around it. It’s not like it’s a hard concept to grasp, but Revali really did live here, and, for some reason, she can’t help but find it so bizarre. Sure, she’d come to learn a lot about him in recent months, but… the more she thought about it, the harder it became to understand such a simple concept. 

He was a full person. An in-depth person with thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes, yet it’s the most mundane things that Mipha grows excited about. He did things everyone did, and said things everyone said. He walked and talked. He got hungry, got thirsty, got bored, tired, happy and sad. There were little things that brought him joy and little things that brought him irritation. He’d been a child just like she had, and had habits like she did- maybe he snored when he slept. Maybe he was allergic to cats. Maybe he had hobbies like writing, singing or reading. All of these little, inconsequential bits of him- it just…

...it made him feel so real.

It made him feel so close to her.

It made her want to know everything. The little spark of joy that sent her nerves flickering whenever she got to see a really normal side to him. A mundane side to him. It sounded dull, but for some reason, it just made her feel so excited. So hypersensitive. It made her feel like she was really living in this moment with him.

...

...where had she felt this feeling before?

Before she can begin to contemplate the thought, a shadow is cast over her small figure, and she smiles long before her eyes are hit with that comforting shade of blue.

“So you made it. I trust the journey wasn’t  _ too  _ horrendous,” he stands above her with his wings folded. He’s still clad in the same garb he always wears. It’s nice to see nothing has changed, but Mipha wonders if he actually owns any other clothes. For a person who shamelessly flaunted his abilities the way he did, Mipha finds it curious that it doesn’t extend to other aspects of his life. At least, not in a way that she’d seen.

She physically cannot stop the smile that grows on her face, “It was fine, thank you. I definitely think that it could’ve been worse.”

As Mipha gets up from the bed, Revali’s eyes dart around the room- he looks back and forth before questioning, “Did you bring your brother along in the end…?”

“Oh, yes! The lady who runs this inn is currently introducing him to her daughter. I thought it would be nice for him to play with some of the children of your village,” she looks at him with slightly lidded eyes, as she quietly adds, “I hope they will be nice to him. I suppose it must be strange having foreigners in your home.”

Revali seems to dismiss her concern with a simple flap of the wing, “Oh, don’t be such a worrywart. The children of our village might be a bit boisterous, but they’re as sweet as they come. If anything, I’m sure they’ll find him fascinating.”

Mipha perks up slightly, and the corner of her mouth twitches upwards, “I see. Are you fond of children at all?” He hadn’t really interacted with her brother when they had met, though she supposes that a funeral wasn’t the best place for it. To her surprise, he seems to ponder the thought.

“Well,” he begins, oddly quiet, “They’re important. For a village as small as ours, they’re our future. It’s important that we raise them right so they can support themselves,” he smiles at this point in a manner Mipha can identify as smug, “They all look up to me, so I suppose it’s my responsibility to set a good example for them. Some of them even want to train at the Flight Range, so I’m considering setting up a better area for them to practice in.”

His tone of voice sounds haughty and narcissistic, but his words strike Mipha as actually quite considerate. Surprising, considering she’d never suspect he had the patience for children. Still, his reasoning is actually very sound. For such a small village, it must be important for them to protect and nurture their young ones. Mipha likes the sound of that very much.

She titters, “Perhaps you would make a good father. I could see that.”

The short delay before Revali unceremoniously squawks is comical, as he staggers backwards, feathers prickling around the cheeks, “Eh? Don’t be silly! I’ve...got other things to do.”

Mipha tilts her head, and her jewellery jingles along with the light mountain breeze, “There’s no need to be so modest, Revali. I believe you would be an excellent parental figure,” she knows she shouldn’t, but it almost feels like she’s teasing him. Sure, she’s poking a little bit of fun, but she means what she says. 

If Revali didn’t know any better, he’d say the smile on the princess’s face was borderline devious, and he swiftly cuts through before she can say any more, “I think that’s more your schtick than mine, princess. However…”

He trails off. Well...here she was.

She was here in his village. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been looking forward to seeing her again. He could only vaguely remember their time together at the coronation, having been quite inebriated at the time, but there had been a distinct scent of fresh, mountain water clinging to his feathers the morning he had woken up. He’d silently bathed in that pleasant aroma for a while after.

But it was different, now that she was right in front of him. He’d been thinking long and hard about the time they would spend together. He’d been anticipating it for the past few days, but now that she’d made it, he had...no idea what to do.

He resists the urge to palm his face, feeling idiotic for stumbling right at the beginning. What would Mipha enjoy doing the most? Did he even know? He feels like this is a thing he should know. He wants to know.

“Well then, princess, now that you’re here...what would you like to do first?”

Mipha looks adorably thoughtful for a moment as she gazes around the room, and Revali silently, desperately wishes for her to come up with at least something for him to work with. 

The way her eyes glaze over when she begins to think is something Revali has become very familiar with. He often finds himself drawn to them, purely for the bright, appealing colour they were (and not at all for how softly they would gaze at him) so he’s grown accustomed to Mipha’s sudden bouts of vacancy. She was a thoughtful individual, but Revali can only find amusement in how absentminded it could make her. It’s not a trait he thought he’d ever find in someone so elite.

After a while, Mipha perks up, “Since I’m here, it would be nice if you showed me around your village a bit. Then...perhaps,” she pauses for a second, hesitantly looking away, “...perhaps...I would like to see this Flight Range you talk so fondly of.”

Revali blinks. She wanted to see the Flight Range? What an odd request, but he can’t deny it made him feel a little warm inside. It’s not often outsiders take such interest in what was effectively his pride and joy. Ever since it had been constructed, it had acted as a second home to him, and would hopefully remain there until long, long after he was gone. That’s why, though he doesn’t outwardly show it, he’s very pleased to hear this suggestion.

It would also mean they’d have time to chat between themselves without the other villagers lurking around. No doubt they would be intrigued and excited by Mipha’s appearance- and in Mipha’s case, he can only imagine it worked the other way, too. Her desire to explore and learn about his village had not passed him by.

“Why, of course. There would be nobody else better suited to guide you around than I,” he says, with a gracious flick of his wing, gesturing for Mipha to follow him out of the inn. His talons make a dull noise against the wood with every step, and Mipha hurries to join him at his side.

“Though do tell me if you begin to get chilly. The temperatures around here can drop quite quickly if you’re not careful,” he warns, and Mipha emits a meagre ‘okay’ as her brain is suddenly assaulted by the idea of keeping herself cozy in the confines of Revali’s wings. She thinks that thought alone will be enough to fend off the chill of the night. Would he notice the sudden red tint to her cheeks? Maybe she can pass it off as some kind of Zora thing…

“You have no need to worry,” Mipha assures him, despite her own blatant jitters, “Unless we traverse into the mountains, I will be fine. I do much prefer the cooler temperatures.”

She wonders if she’ll regret saying that later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if mipha's vacations are anything like mine she'll be wasted in about three minutes


	22. Rito Village

She’s hardly surprised to find Revali makes a most excellent tour guide. Had he not made such a remarkable warrior of himself, she is sure this would be his calling. She wonders if a deep fondness for his home is what causes him to flaunt it so unashamedly. Rito Village must be lucky to have him.

“This is the Slippery Falcon- it’s our general store. I suppose it’s a tad on the small side, but I’d challenge anybody to find better quality arrows anywhere else in Hyrule.”

Mipha isn’t bothered by the size of things. In fact, she thinks the snug nature of these little huts is what she finds so relaxing about this place. The shop is full of fresh produce- foods she hadn’t seen before and foods that weren’t being sold in the domain. The mushrooms are large and sure did look appetising; the sugar cane looks high quality too. The wide variety of arrows they sold here were also a sight for Mipha’s eager eyes. However, she can’t help but notice…

“Ah. Your store does not stock ice arrows.”

Revali stares, “Eh? Oh. Well...I suppose I can understand why you’d think we would, but fire arrows are far more effective against the creatures that lurk on the mountains- and I assume the store in Zora’s Domain  _ does  _ stock them?”

“We do.”

Revali puts a feathered appendage to his beak as he murmurs, “Huh. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and stock up, then,” but, by the time he finishes his sentence, Mipha is speeding out of the store before Revali can spy the tense look on her face.

The next little hut upwards is one full of various items of clothing and one particularly boisterous rito salesman who keeps trying to take Mipha’s measurements.

“This is the Brazen Beak- they make Rito armour, but also garments for foreigners, too. You’d be surprised how much they make off all the tourists looking for clothes to go up the mountains in.”

Mipha finds the selection of clothes displayed here to be fantastic. They all look to be the highest quality and made with care, sporting the same kinds of patterns she’d seen painted across the village. She’s not exactly a wearer of garments, but they did look awfully comfortable.

“These look lovely. You have some very talented individuals living here.”

Revali decides to take that compliment on their behalf, “I should think so, though I suppose we have a natural advantage in some ways. A lot of these clothes are made using Rito feathers- that’s not something other places can accomplish.”

Mipha’s eyes bulge slightly- they used their own feathers? How curious!

“It seems I am really unfamiliar with your customs. I had no idea you could do such a thing. That’s quite efficient.”

Revali seems indifferent to her words, and his expression is a bit flat when he mutters, “Well, not all of us use our own feathers. I’ve used my feathers for my home and comfort, but I’m not about to donate them to be plastered across some Hylian’s filthy body,” he grimaces, and Mipha decides perhaps this is not a topic to be questioned. She simply takes his word for it, thinking for just a moment about her own scales that are embedded into the Zora Armour that still sits at home.

They swiftly move on, ascending up another level.

The breeze is soft upon Mipha’s skin as she steps out onto a large landing that overlooks most of Lake Totori and the distant Hebra Mountains. Her feet pad gently across the Rito insignia painted upon the wooden platform, eyes fixated on the breathtaking surroundings. To think such a view could be found right here in Hyrule, yet so far from her own home. No wonder this place was so popular with tourists. 

The water of the lake may be dark, but its colour is rich, confined within the basin of stone that surrounds Rito Village. Mipha can see the way the greenery fades into white, like a gradient- the verdant, towering trees all become tinted with the ivory powder of the snow as they grow up the side of the mountain. The sky over the mountain is a light grey colour, but Mipha does not find it miserable. She thinks it looks rather beautiful- something she finds curious, considering its stark contrast to the vibrant blue skies and soft beaches she longed for.

Eventually, Mipha tears herself away from the railing and turns back to Revali, who is standing dead centre in the middle of the landing as if standing upon a stage, watching her with quite the smirk plastered over his beak. The way his eyes narrow like that only makes Mipha anticipate what he’ll say next. It’s become almost exciting for her.

“You seem quite smitten with the view from here, princess.”

Mipha can only beam- it really had been everything she’d been hoping for, and she’d only been here for about an hour, “It’s beautiful. You are quite lucky to live in such a scenic environment.”

Revali pauses- her words were always very kind. He’s happy to see her so taken by the novelties and experiences his village could provide, but he can’t help but notice how well she blends into these views. With such a fond, familiar backdrop, she stands out beautifully and it paints the most eye-catching picture to him. So much so, he seems to have lost his words.

“I...yes. I suppose we are quite lucky,” is all he can bring himself to say.

Mipha begins to wander across to the other side of the landing, still captivated by the surrounding landscape, but the actual landing itself piques her curiosity, too.

“You use these platforms to take off, don’t you? When you go flying?”

Revali sidles up next to her as she eyes the parts of the landing where the railings end, leaving large gaps for people to assumedly fly through. She’s only partially worried she may misstep and fall through it, but she’s confident Revali will come to her aid, should that happen.

“Yes, it does help. You’re aware that I am able to take off the way I do with my superior abilities, however the other Rito cannot manage such a feat. They require this space to help them take off. Landing is far less of a challenge- providing you can do it right.”

“I see.”

“This is also the largest landing in our village. I, uh…” he momentarily clears his throat, staring off in the rough direction of Hyrule Field as he murmurs, “I was… recently given quite a special honour here- after Ganon’s defeat, that is.”

Mipha blinks, silently edging him to continue.

“This platform is titled ‘Revali’s Landing’. It was… a gift of sorts for my work as the Rito Champion. Of course, you’d have no way of knowing that, since they haven’t put the sign up yet.”

Mipha emits a small giggle, but she’s astounded by this sudden reveal. Revali’s Landing, eh? What an honour it must be for him. No doubt, he must be the pride of his village.

“I cannot imagine a better name for it. You must be so proud,” Mipha beams at him sweetly, and Revali can only stare.

To Mipha’s surprise, he does not embrace her words like he normally would. There’s no sudden flourish or flamboyance to his words- not like what she’d grown accustomed to. In fact, he’s quiet for quite a while before he finally says, “Yes, well, it’s hardly surprisingly, I suppose.”

For the first time since she’d left the domain, Mipha frowns.

* * *

The Flight Range, at long last, is a wondrous sight to Mipha.

It’s quite strange- finally seeing something you’ve only ever heard about from other people. There’s plenty of room for Mipha to concoct an image of what this fabled place may look like, but naturally, it had been entirely different. Nonetheless, it was lovely.

Nestled within this cavity of earth, the small wooden hut juts out over the updraft that Mipha can feel from where she’s standing- it’s perhaps a little chilly, but the force of the gale travels all the way up to the top of the crater, tickling the clouds that float by.

“Wow!”

Mipha has to really tighten her grip to stop Sidon from galloping off to explore (and falling down the excavation at the same time) as the two of them, plus Revali, approach the Flight Range she’d heard so much about. She’s excited to learn more about this place, seeing as it appeared to be a place quite close to Revali’s heart.

Mipha allows Sidon to drag her closer to the cliffs edge, but not too close, as he points at the things around him with a little chubby arm, “Look! There are targets!”

She adores his adventurous nature, “Yes- Revali uses this place to practice his archery. Let’s treat it with respect, alright?”

Sidon’s nodding head is nothing but a blur as he gazes at the training ground with wide, sparkling eyes. Wow- imagine being able to fly! Swimming was one thing, but flying was another thing entirely! You could go anywhere if you could fly! 

“Well, somebody’s excited.”

Revali pops up beside them both, eyeing Sidon with a small smile. Trello had brought Sidon back after an exciting time getting to know some of the village children, but Mipha had put her foot down, managing to convince Trello to sit down and take a breather for a while, whilst Revali escorted them to the Flight Range. Trello had done so, but not without reluctance.

“He’s been like this ever since I told him we were coming here,” Mipha explains, patting Sidon’s head fondly, but this goes ignored as Sidon bounces up and down, looking up at Revali with adorable eyes.

“Can you hit all of those targets?! Can you, can you, can you?!”

Revali almost stumbles backwards against the force of Sidon’s energy, but he’s actually used to this kind of interaction with children, what with the fledgelings of his village chirping at him all the time. He folds his arms, tilting his head slightly so he can get a proper look at the tiny Zora prince.

“Well, I don’t know- what do you think? Reckon I could pull it off?”

Sidon can barely contain his squealing as he nods his head, “If you try really hard! I wanna see you fly!”

“Sidon,” Mipha laughs, albeit a little half-hearted as she pulls him close to her side, “Don’t bother Revali- if you would like a demonstration, ask nicely,” she tells him softly. Sidon’s mouth twists into an awkward shape- he knows Mipha is right. Simmering down, he looks back up at the towering Rito.

“Could you please show me your flying skills? Please!”

Revali enjoys making a show of contemplating this request, but inevitably, he accepts Sidon’s proposal with a flourish- Mipha figures he may be in higher spirits now than he had been earlier. She doesn’t have time to linger on that thought for too long, though, as Revali begins to move.

He strides away- backwards, too, to emphasise his confidence, as he pulls the bow from his holster and slings his quiver around, “I’d stand back a little bit if I were you- it might get a little bit... _ explosive _ .”

On that word, he’s gone. It’s been a while since Mipha has seen this particular move, and it only seems like he’s gotten faster with time. Sidon emits a loud gasp, head darting around to see where Revali had seemingly vanished to, and Mipha nudges for him to look straight above. 

The Rito Champion soars far above their heads, and, for a moment, it looks like he’s nosediving. Just watching him fall like that is enough to make Mipha flinch, but Sidon watches with awe, eyes wide and mouth agape. Just when Mipha is about to give in to her fears, Revali suddenly draws the string of his bow, nocking an arrow and letting it loose in the span of a single second. It’s like a crack of lightning, and the target nailed into the stone is hit with a sudden, explosive force.

Suddenly, it’s not just one explosion- it’s another, and another, and each target is lighting up like fiery candles, one at a time, as Revali expertly loops around the arena. He’s flying so quickly, the Zora siblings can barely keep their eyes on him. Sidon just seems to be staring at whatever he can with a look of pure amazement on his face- each explosion sends a white-hot gleam running across his eyes.

Well, this was nothing. Still targets were quite boring, in Revali’s eyes anyway, but when he glides past his audience, taking in their reactions, he’s positively delighted by the enormous, beaming grin on Mipha’s face. The way her cheeks bulge around the stretch of her lips, and the glitter of her teeth, just barely seen, sends an abnormal pulse through his body, and he almost falters, flapping his wings hurriedly to keep his pace. How exhilarating it was to have her eyes on him- it made his gut tremble.

This was the exact same sensation he’d felt on his flight up to Medoh, the day of the Calamity. The eyes of his friends and peers, the people he’d grown up with and the people he’d vowed to protect when he’d been given the role of the Rito Champion. His stomach had turned in a similar manner, pleasantly surprised by the cheers that resounded through the village… yet, with the eyes of Mipha and Sidon on him, there was something that made his insides churn, filling him with an uncomfortable sensation of barely perceivable nausea.

He finishes off his display by skilfully hitting three targets, all on different sides of the range, and basking in the light of the explosion, before gracefully settling back down onto solid ground- his outstretched arms flaunt his wingspan, and he’s met with small but wild applause.

Sidon claps and cheers as loud as he can, feeling a slight sting on his tiny palms as he does so, and Mipha joins him, giggling merrily as Revali approaches, “Well, I take it you enjoyed that? Count yourselves lucky- I don’t perform for just anyone.”

“We are very lucky,” Mipha affirms in a tone overwhelmed with cheer, “That was marvellous, Revali,” she nudges Sidon softly, “See, Sidon, if you work harder when you grow older, you’ll be just as incredible as Revali is!”

Her words send Sidon cheering, and Revali flinches suddenly, feeling a sudden flush of heat up the back of his neck. Blowing one’s own trumpet was one thing, but having someone else do it for you, and in such a manner as Mipha had, was… well…

Revali’s slight smile fades into something more plain. Bittersweet, he thinks. It’s not her fault, though. Hearing her words do bring him a strange joy he felt like he’d never experienced before, but it still felt so out of reach. He couldn’t bring himself to stretch out and grab it.

Suddenly, he clears his throat, “Well, it helps to be naturally gifted at these things, but talent will not secure your abilities the way hard work will,” he tells them both, putting a wing on his hip as he looks down at little Sidon, “If you start now, by the time you’re my age you’ll be unbeatable.”

Sidon looks positively inspired by these words, and Revali can practically hear the whirring of cogs turning in the tiny prince’s head as he begins to plan the development of a passion of his own. Revali can only hope he’s pushing the boy in the right direction, but Mipha’s expression that overflows with warmth, like honey from a hive, assures him his words are well-founded and adequately encouraging for a child of royalty.

Still, that doesn’t stop the slight downturn of his expression, which does not go unnoticed by Mipha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy aoc day-- here's hoping it brings us some revali and mipha moments!


	23. Light of the Fire

The chilly evenings at the Flight Range are beautiful. Mipha’s never been anywhere like it, and she’s doing her best to savour every sensation and sight she can.

The thick blanket of clouds that drapes over the Hebra mountains have not yet dispersed, and with the gradual fading of light that precedes the hours of darkness, the sky around the Flight Range is now a deep grey. The light flakes of snow that rhythmically cascade around them are still a striking bright white, reminding Mipha of the hoards of fireflies that would roam the mountains at dusk. Snowfall was so gentle.

The interior of the little hut that overlooks the range is a stark contrast to the cold evening that envelops it. As Trello had escorted Sidon back to the village in the hopes of convincing him to go to bed, Mipha had been invited up into the small dwelling to spend some time there, and the trembling she can feel inside is positively indescribable. Still, she wouldn’t hesitate to give it a good go.

The flames that dance from within the fire-pit sends a warm, honeyed glow across the slats of wood that gives them shelter, and provides a decent amount of heat for them both. Mipha predicts the chill outside will only worsen as the hour grows late, but with the company of the fire, she’s sure she will be fine.

Revali sits to her left, poking the crumbling firewood with a stick- every now and then he’ll deftly brush a few stray embers back into the pit with a waft of his wing. His eyes shine a magnificent shade of chartreuse against the firelight, and Mipha has to really tear herself away from him to prevent herself from staring too obviously.

The decor is similar to what she’d seen in the huts back in the village. A small chest of drawers, littered with arrows- some broken, some not. A few well-crafted bows are propped up against it, too. Several pillows are strewn across the floor, accompanied by some thin rug material, and there’s a cooking pot, one assumedly used on the fire, sitting empty in the corner.

She’d been most curious to see a few hammocks strung up above her- something she would’ve missed entirely if she hadn’t looked up earlier to check if there was a suitable chimney for the fire. It’s a heavily embroidered piece of material, quite thick too, but it only prompts Mipha to concoct a fresh batch of questions. She eyes Revali.

“Do you sleep here frequently?”

Revali’s expression doesn’t change immediately. He seems like he’s winding down for the night and in a much calmer state than usual as he carefully sets aside the poker, “Occasionally. It’s easier to sleep here than to fly back home every night.”

Mipha blinks, “You train here every night?”

That clearly wasn’t what Revali had been expecting her to glean from his words- he almost looks sheepish by this factually accurate statement. 

“Well, what with the Calamity threatening our home, it was important to train as much as I could before facing Ganon. I may be a man of talent, but… I had to work hard.”

Mipha doesn’t immediately reply to this. She thinks on that for quite a while, watching the way his eyes are trained on the fire. His expression is placid but his words seem soft. Far softer than what she’d been used to hearing. A man of talent, eh? Well, he wasn’t wrong. He did seem to have a natural flair for his particular forté.

But, as rude as it sounds, Mipha isn’t all too sure she wants to make the assumption of talent. It’s easy to believe his words, especially when he has the skills to back it up, but a very big part of her would not see Revali as ‘talented’.

A hard worker? Now that seemed far more fitting. She’d come to see for herself, time and time again, how dutiful and determined Revali could be. He wasn’t a man to coast through on whatever abilities nature had gifted him, even if he did brag without shame. Most of what he flaunted was all his own work. Still, that only leads Mipha down a whole new rabbit-hole of questions.

For a person like him, a person who thrived on putting himself on a pedestal, boosting his abilities far above everybody else’s and boasting without fear… she finds it odd that he would not brag about the work he’d put in. Was talent more impressive than time and effort? Mipha would hardly think so. It just made such little sense to her.

“I would not be surprised if you had worked the hardest of all of us.”

Revali finds this notion to be almost unbearably bittersweet. Of course she’d say something like that. She had kind words for everyone. A kind woman like her could probably find the good in Ganon if she tried hard enough. He’s hardly surprised, yet it still felt so sour.

He scoffs, and it’s almost inaudible, “I fear you may be undervaluing the other Champions, here. I can’t imagine you were slacking off, either,” he tells her, looking up from the fire. It allows her to catch that distinctive glint in his eye, but it’s not as sharp nor bright as it normally is and fades as quick as it came. Mipha doesn’t like it at all.

Revali watches the way her lips fold in slightly, making her expression very small and inoffensive as she gazes at the licking flames of the fire. He sighs.

“Come now, princess, you came here to take your mind off of such things. There’s no need to look so despondent.”

The corner of Mipha’s lips twitch up into a humourless smile, “I came here to take my mind away from Link,” she reminds him, but for what purpose, he doesn’t know. Of course, it would come back to Link. Why wouldn’t it? He rolls his eyes.

“You should be enjoying yourself whilst you’re here,” he tells her, quietly. In fact, this entire place is quiet. It’s nothing like the busy beaches of Eventide, where his tone had been boisterous and the fights plentiful. Here, there was nothing to listen to but the sounds of snowfall and the hush of the breeze, accompanied by the peaceful crackling of the fire. A polar opposite in almost every single aspect to where they had ignited their relationship, Mipha realises.

She glances over at Revali. How things had changed since then. Had it really been so long? And yet it was as if it had been no time at all.

Her lips shine a rich, rose colour that flickers with the light of the flames. She slowly shifts her position so that she is sitting on her side, propping herself upright with her hand as she tilts her head to attract Revali’s gaze.

“I’m having a wonderful time with you.”

The whites of Revali’s eyes flash against the light like snow upon wood, and feeling how distant they are from the rest of the world, secluded together in the solitude of the mountains, he’s utterly captivated by her.

Yet it still felt so bittersweet, and she can see it in his eyes. Just what was it that he was thinking? Despondency isn’t a look that suits him, hypocrite he is. He’s probably aware of it, though. He isn’t stupid. She just wishes he knew that she understood that.

Revali hums noncommittally, taking up the poker once more, but before he can testily prod the dwindling fire, Mipha stops him by placing a hand upon his wing. She remembers, back at the coronation, how large he’d been in comparison to her. He was short for a Rito, but still easily able to envelop her entire body with the comfort of his own.

Whatever words Mipha was about to say are dead in her throat as the enormous desire to push herself up and into his embrace overtakes her mind. Her thoughts had never been so forward, not even in her own head, and she finds herself surprised by her own impulse. Since when had she wanted something like this…? 

She must look a fool right about now, staring at Revali so dazedly, but she doesn’t realise his expression mirrors her own as he finds himself unable to make a remark. He’s caught on her gaze like a fish on a hook.

Mipha pulls herself back a little, but her hand remains on his wing, as she brings herself back to her initial thought.

She isn’t all too sure what to say. In fact, she’s not even sure what it is she wants to say, but there’s something she knows she wants to hear from him. There’s a lot she wants to hear from him- ironic that somebody as talkative as him would be so taciturn. If only he would speak freely to her. What could she do to make that happen?

“I...I…”

His eyes remain passive, “What?” 

It’s not harsh or demanding. It’s like he really wants to hear her, but Mipha just… doesn’t know what it is she wants to say first. She doesn’t even know where to begin. She hurriedly racks her brain for a question, any question, that she wanted the answer to. Perhaps, in his state of serenity, he would be uninhibited. Perhaps she would finally be able to obtain the answers to the questions she’d pondered time and time again.

She swallows.

“I… I always wondered… you don’t seem to get along well with Link. Why might that be?”

It’s a very tense moment for both of them. The regret of asking had seeped in before she’d even finished her sentence, and she’d never seen Revali’s brows sink so low. His gaze flits to the fireplace and Mipha suddenly feels very cold.

Revali goes back to poking the firewood. Why had she asked something like that? Well, why wouldn’t she? She was in love with him, after all. She’d said so already. Normally, Link would bring Revali nothing but irritation. He was about as pleasant as those awful grains of sand still lingering in his feathers from his time at the island. Yet, right now, all he felt was melancholy. It always,  _ always  _ came back to Link. 

Why was it always Link?

“I thought you said you came here to take your mind away from him,” Revali’s voice is sharp, and Mipha can almost feel the stab of the accusation in her chest. That’s true, she had said that, but… she wanted to know. Even if Link was seeking happiness with somebody else, he was one of her favourite people in the entire world. She didn’t want two people she cared for dearly to be at odds with one another. It made her feel torn. They were good people, there was no reason for them to be so cold to one another.

Well, it was Revali who was being cold, but that was even more of a cause for concern. However, his low tone of voice only tells Mipha he has no interest in pursuing this line of conversation. 

“Sometimes you must take a step back before you can properly take a step forward,” she says quietly, pulling away entirely from him, “I don’t ask with the intention of being biased. I ask because… I’m worried.”

“You’re  _ always worried. _ ”

His voice is such a sharp snap that Mipha recoils with a flinch, as if being hit by the sting of the cold outside. She tries to swallow, but whatever is causing a lump in her throat is stuck there. However, a frown begins to work over her face.

“Well, perhaps I wouldn’t if you didn’t give me so much cause for concern,” Mipha replies- though her words seem stern, there’s no bite to it. She’s losing confidence in them, but she dares herself to turn and look at Revali dead on.

“It’s true, I do worry quite frequently, but I worry about  _ you _ the most!”

That seems to take Revali by surprise, and he’s left wordless for quite a while. He doesn’t remember opening his beak to retort, but he reluctantly shuts it and goes back to the fire. He’s doing his best to think of a response, but for some reason, his brain is refusing to get a proper grasp on the situation at hand. All he had to rely on was the awful churning in his gut, and all that told him was that this was a conversation he did not want to be a part of. 

“I don’t see why you should.”

Mipha’s frown disappears as quickly as it came, “What does that mean?”

Revali goes still. The fire is still, too, until the burning wood suddenly crumbles loudly into pieces, sending embers crackling across the pit. Mipha holds her gaze and Revali holds his expression.

“It means that there’s no real reason for you to worry.”

Mipha doesn’t believe that in the slightest. However, she doesn’t want to yield yet. As she had said before, sometimes you must take a step back to be able to take a step forward. Perhaps this was the route she must take to unlocking the being that was Revali.

“I see,” she replies plainly, “I can see why you would think such a thing. I can’t say you’ve been making it easy for me,” she puts a finger to her chin, and her gaze wanders towards the top of the hut where the smoke from the fire is billowing up and out into the mountains, “however, if I were to see something that would convince me not to hold concern for you, I’d feel a lot better about it.”

Revali clucks his tongue, rolling his eyes and staring off into the other direction. The poker is still in his wing, but not being used. “I’m not obliged to give you evidence, if that’s what you want. I don’t see why you must fret over everybody you come across.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“Not everybody. Only people I know.”

“Which is an awful lot of people! That could be half of Hyrule! I just don’t think you should.”

“Should what?”

“What do you mean, ‘should what’?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Are you dense?”

“It’s for clarification.”

“What is there to clarify? I just don’t think you should--”

“--should what?”

“Care! I don’t see why you have to care so much!”

Mipha goes silent. That’s what she’d been after. Revali’s minor outburst had caused the feathers around his cheeks to puff up in irritation, but as they begin to settle down, he swallows thickly and goes back to prodding the fire. She wonders if he realises what he’s just said. 

“You said ‘care’.”

“What?”

Mipha’s expression becomes one of the gentlest that Revali has ever seen. He watches her, wary of what she might say, and Mipha definitely makes a note of that. What was putting him on his guard? The way he looks at her out of the corner of his eye, body turned away slightly, only gives Mipha more information. Information she thinks he’d rather hide from her. 

“You said ‘care’. Earlier, you said that you didn’t want me to worry about you. Now you’re saying you don’t want me to care about you.”

Revali’s body bursts into a variety of movements, from the slight roll of his eyes, the scoff that escapes from his beak, and the way he throws his wings up, as if finding Mipha’s words unbelievably unreasonable. Yet it’s the crease of his brows that looks so out of place amongst his indignation.

“Whatever, it’s the same thing.”

“No, it isn’t,” Mipha doesn’t miss a beat, and to Revali, it almost seems like she’s predicting every move and every sentence. It’s incredibly unnerving- he feels like he’s being lured into a bigger and bigger trap every time. Perhaps it would be better if he just stayed silent.

What he doesn’t realise is that silence easily works in Mipha’s favour, only serving to reinforce this new image of him that she’s beginning to see.

“I was talking about my concerns. You were the one who said ‘care’. It seems like you don’t want me to care about you,” her words are slow, as if she’s testing the waters, but her confidence is truly unparalleled if she’s able to go down this particular road. Revali scoffs again.

“It was a slip of the tongue.”

“So you do want me to care about you.”

“I didn’t say that!”

“No, you said ‘care’- and you said it twice. I don’t think that’s a slip of the tongue.”

Revali sighs, “Slip of the mind, then, whatever.”

“Is this why you seem to dislike Link so much?”

The Rito flinches suddenly, almost dropping the poker- he’s not even using it anymore, he’s just holding it for the sake of holding it- as he squawks, “What has  _ that  _ got to do with anything?”

Mipha shrugs passively, “You tell me. He’s got nothing to do with you, and yet you seem so affected by his existence. The two of you don’t even talk to one another.”

“You’re getting off-topic, here.”

“No, I’m not,” Mipha’s voice is careful, “In fact, that was my very first question and you hadn’t answered it.”

Revali inspects Mipha with an open beak, the surprise of her tenacity and audacity is evident on his face. After a moment, his expression reverts to neutral and he pulls his gaze away, “Don’t you know it’s rude to badger people in their own homes? I don’t see what gives you the right to interrogate me in such a manner.”

These words don’t make Mipha feel very good, but she’s accepted the fact that she was bound to receive a response like this sooner or later. Such was the treachery of this path she’d chosen. Still, she smiles.

“You gave me the right when we became friends.”

Another surprise response- one that he hadn’t expected. He frowns, but doesn’t immediately respond. How could he? All of her answers seem to come from way out of left field, which gave him nothing to go on in terms of retorts. What was he supposed to say to that? That they weren’t really friends? That he didn’t care what she thought?

Before he can say anything, Mipha raises a hand and says, “It’s alright. Perhaps it was a little too early to try and delve so deep into something like this. It’s just…”

Revali watches her and his frown slowly dissipates as he listens to her voice. Had she always been so straightforward? Come to think of it, he had been taken aback by her lack of hesitance in the past- something he’d become accustomed to in their early days. Had he been wrong about her this entire time?

“It’s just… I’ve noticed you haven’t been yourself for a while. Ever since the coronation, you’ve not been right and, yes, I have been worried. Not because I feel I have to be, but because I care for you. I don’t  _ have  _ to care for you, despite what you may think. I have no real obligation to do so. I care because… because you’re… very dear to me.”

She hadn’t realised those were the words that she had wanted to say until she caught them tumbling from her lips, but she’s glad she did. Even if she had stumbled over them, she found great joy in being able to finally say these things. Words she had never been able to give to Link were now words she could give to Revali. Somehow, it felt like a weight was slowly being lifted from her shoulders with every second she spent watching him.

However, this face of his that she’s seeing now is totally new. It had been nothing like the deep frown she’d spotted during the coronation, nor the crease of pain she’d had to witness when he’d almost died in front of her. It was ever so subtle, and Mipha relished in every tiny detail she could see. From the barely-there quirk of the brow, to the prickling of his cheeks. There was a certain way the corners of his beak seemed to stretch into a line, as if he were stifling something- just like she’d always suspected he’d been doing.

Still, such a look was not a good one for him. That’s why Mipha reaches out to gently brush her fingers over the side of his face, scraping together the parts necessary for a smile as she tells him, “As I tell my brother, when he’s feeling down- you have a serious case of the frowny face! So, as a healer, I’ll find the perfect remedy for you.”

Her words are light and cheerful, but it belies the shiver that runs down her fingertips when they make contact with the soft feathers of Revali’s face, and she realises that he’s not shying away from her. However, his eyes are slowly turning from focused to bemused as one eyebrow suddenly spikes up across his forehead. An odd breath escapes him as he begins to chuckle half-heartedly and Mipha pulls her hand away.

“Your bedside manner is one I find to be  _ very  _ questionable,” he says, and though his voice is devoid of any real emotion, the slight upturn of the corner of his beak suggests to her that she’s getting through to him. However, right now she wants to lighten the mood for his sake, so she takes his words with grace and a laugh. He shakes his head with exasperation.

“Honestly. First you’re crying all over my wounds, now you’re trying to become a comedian? Are all Zora healers this deranged?” 

Mipha giggles, “I’m broadening my horizons. Different patients require different methods of approach. I suppose… I’ve been testing them on you.”

“So you have.”

Mipha adopts a more gentle look, purposely holding his gaze in the hopes her eyes will tell him what her words may fail to, “I understand that my concern may be something of an irritation to you- truly, I do. However, I am not an idiot. I know when something isn’t right. You may not want to divulge your problem to me just yet but--”

“It’s fine.”

Revali cuts Mipha off very fluidly, but the way he gazes off into the distance, eyes following the imprints the distant mountains make into the sky, tells Mipha he is not being dismissive. She listens intently. It’s all she’s ever wanted to do.

“I know very well you are no fool... but I didn’t expect you to be so manipulative. Colour me surprised. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Mipha’s smile is humourless, because she knows he’s right. Her methods might not have been totally ethical, but sometimes it was necessary. He was a stubborn one, and that was fine. If he wanted to play that game, she could play it too.

“I suppose I must apologise for that. However...I would like you to know that I don’t ask these things purely out of concern, nor do I ask them because I care.”

Revali blinks and, for the first time that night, Mipha is the one to look away.

“I ask because… I would like to get to know you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i changed my tumblr to @matchamabs! don't be afraid to come have a chat!


	24. Mountainous

Mipha wakes up the next morning to a harsh sunbeam streaming right across her face, and she winces with discomfort, shimmying herself over to escape its glare. Sidon is still snoozing comfortably, but Trello seems to have disappeared. She can only assume he’s off to wake himself up a tad before beginning the day.

Mipha and Revali had parted ways quietly the night before. She had not pressed him any further for any answers, nor had he ended up admitting anything, but the way he had spoken softly (and effectively allowed Mipha to get away with something she knew other people could not) only brought her hope. He’d become more thoughtful with his answers, even the mundane ones, which only told her that he was seriously contemplating something. She can only hope that one day, he will funnel just a little bit of the courage he displayed in battle into speaking his mind freely. It will forever be ironic to her that the man who just couldn’t stop talking about himself would shield himself from the people around him. She longed to understand why.

She shuffles off of the bed- she could last a night or two away from her regular aquatic den, but for the sake of personal wellbeing, she vows to take Sidon down to one of the small bodies of water surrounding the town to revitalise. For now, he looked comfortable sleeping where he was.

It seems that most of the Rito living here were early birds. The village is already lively, though the sun is still rising, and people are already beginning to go about their day. Mipha can’t help but feel almost lazy in comparison, despite being quite the early riser herself. Sidon was normally the one to wake up first, so this was a nice change of pace. The excitement from yesterday must’ve worn him out.

She wonders if Revali is awake yet. Was he the type of man to rise at the crack of dawn or did he prefer to sleep in for a while? He’d escorted her back to the inn from the Flight Range, but since he’d mentioned sleeping there quite frequently, she wonders if he’d gone back there after. Come to think of it, though the tour he’d offered was marvellous, he’d not given her any hints as to where he lived. Perhaps it had been one of the many huts she’d passed by and he just hadn’t said anything. It still felt very surreal to her that he lived here. The normalcy of it did not feel like him at all.

Over the course of the morning, Mipha is introduced to the kitchen, and despite her desperate refusals, joins some of the Rito in a nice breakfast with her brother. Their hospitality had floored her- they’d been so generous to invite her and Sidon to eat with them, and the food had been delicious. It was quite the spread they’d laid out to share, from grilled salmon to bread and wildberry jam, and Mipha couldn’t even begin to choose. Sidon, on the other hand, had no problem diving right in, and the little girl that he’d made friends with yesterday had sat and eaten breakfast with him, which was enough to make Mipha beam uncontrollably. It seemed like so far, this little getaway was going perfectly.

Revali had yet to show up, but she was enjoying herself immensely despite that; it’s not like she  _ needs  _ him around to have a good time. Talking to the other Rito had been quite the experience for her. They were proud people, even down to the little things, and Mipha is beginning to make some connections. Traits she’d thought were specific only to Revali were actually quite common within the people of this village- though the intensity of them varied from person to person. She’d met all types over the past day, from the docile and nonchalant Rito who had been easy to talk to, to the headstrong and wildly intimidating Rito warriors who she could only greet in passing. She gets a feeling that they don’t exactly jump at the chance to welcome strangers, but her connection with Revali was definitely doing her some great favours.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have all day, so her time chatting with the other villagers was cut short once Revali had finally arrived. He’d not really made any allusions to where they could meet, so Mipha had simply assumed he’d just come and find them when he was ready.

Today, they were going up to the mountains.

Sidon had been practically vibrating with excitement since waking up, demanding to know when they’d be heading out to see the enormous, snow-covered peaks. Of course, they wouldn’t be heading up  _ that  _ high, but high enough to experience the majestic Hebra mountains that they’d only ever been able to see from afar.

Revali had expressed his total lack of understanding of their desire to traverse the mountains quite clearly, but with an exasperated shake of the head, he’d agreed to escort them there. Even as he entered the kitchen, ready to go, it was obvious he still thought the endeavour was a silly idea…

...but that hadn’t stopped him from bending down to wrap a beige-coloured scarf tightly around Sidon’s neck. It was adult-sized, so it did well to cover most of Sidon’s upper half, protecting him from the frozen temperatures of the mountains. However, they wouldn’t be travelling high enough to put them in real danger. Perhaps just enough to be quite chilly.

Sidon snuggles into the oversized scarf as Revali makes some sort of characteristically witty remark about keeping warm- Mipha isn’t listening. She’s too busy reeling from this sudden kind gesture, and if she didn’t care deeply for Revali before, his attitude towards her younger brother was more than enough to stir her. Anybody who treated Sidon with kindness and respect was instantly in Mipha’s good books.

“Well, then, are we ready to go? It’s quite the walk, you know.”

Mipha blinks suddenly, realising that she’s being spoken to, and Sidon begins to wander off to where he remembers the village gates to be. Revali is edging in that direction, but staring expectantly at the Zora princess. Mipha jumps to attention, trotting behind them and making sure to snatch her trident on the way out. This may be an era of peace, but bears still existed and that was enough for her.

The sky is a lot clearer today- vibrant shades of blue stretch overhead, dotted with little puffs of white, and the shape of the peaks stand out sharply against the colourful backdrop. The thick sky of clouds from yesterday had obscured these mountains, but now that the sun was out, she was able to see them in all their breathtaking glory.

The walk up is peaceful, too. Mipha supposes there aren’t a lot of people outside of the Rito that have any business around the mountains, but the way the morning sun sparkles against the outline of Sidon’s footprints in the snow makes her feel at peace. It’s chilly, but not unbearable. The sun offers a little bit of warmth, too. Sidon looks very snug in his scarf, and Mipha is almost jealous. How nice it would be for Revali to put a scarf around her neck. Just thinking about it makes her feel…strangely comfortable. 

Mipha watches Revali out of the corner of her eye as the terrain begins to slope upwards. Their steps become slow and clunky. Wading through the snow is surprisingly difficult, but that didn’t make the experience any less enjoyable. Sidon keeps bending down to pick clumps of snow, tossing it everywhere and laughing. He’s almost up to his knees, but his boundless energy is enough to keep him moving. As he goes in to pick up another clump of snow, Revali bends over to tap his shoulder.

“You’ve… never seen snow before, have you?”

Sidon blinks in a manner most adorable, before replying, “Only from far away.”

This is enough to elicit a smirk from the Rito Champion, as he begins to speak in a hushed tone. His wings move in a show of demonstration, and Sidon eagerly pays attention as Mipha slowly trudges by, almost ankle deep in snow. 

She emits an exhale. This was hard work. Flying must be so much easier, but now she can see why Revali had expressed his distaste beforehand. Still, this was so exciting! Snow! She can hardly believe how much of it there is! They’re not even that high up yet, but when she looks out over the stony ridge, they’re a  _ lot  _ further up than she’d expected them to be. The village seems so far away and the stretch of ground they’d travelled up on is quite far down, but the view-- the view is incredible!

The horizon is painted a light grey, tinged with the colour of the bright, blue sky. Though it’s distant, it’s clear and everything feels so fresh. The next breath Mipha takes is cold but invigorating. It’s like washing the darkness and decay from within her body, cleaning it from the inside out. When she looks up, she can see the outline of Medoh, shadowed by the sun that hangs above it. She’d only even seen this beast from afar, too. It looked far more formidable up close, but it’s still stunning.

For a moment, she’s reminded of the Sheikah Slate. The function that could capture scenes of real life and store them away. Immortalise them. This is a scene she wishes to keep forever. She could come here time and time again, see the same scene over and over, but it would never be the first time. This was a moment she wanted to memorialise.

Suddenly, a harsh, freezing sensation hits her back, spreading up through her skin and making her squeal aloud- she holds her arms out to balance herself, almost dropping her trident as she does so, but the way her feet are implanted within the thick layer of snow prevents her from falling on her face. It takes her a moment to recover from the icy shock, but when she manages to turn herself around, she’s met with a conflicting, yet delightful sight.

Sidon and Revali are standing side-by-side, sharing spirited laughter. Sidon plants his hands on his cheeks- his giggles are enough to put a smile on her face, but the exuberant cackling coming from Revali is enough to make her heart flip upside down. She can’t tell if it’s caught in her throat or dropped to her knees, so it takes her a moment to catch onto their plan.

“We got you, Mi!”

Mipha shakes the remaining clumps of snow off, smiling as she replies, “Did you now? I hope the two of you aren’t misbehaving,” there’s a special glint in her eye as she teases them, wading through the thick mess of snow and doing her best not to fall over. Sidon claps with enthusiasm.

“Revali showed me how to make a snowball!! See? It’s easy! You just...make a ball with some snow,” he bends down to scoop up a handful of snow, compacting it tightly with his hands, before holding it out to show his big sister. Mipha inspects the ball with wide-eyed curiosity, before emitting a giggle, as Sidon reels back and tosses the ball as far as he can. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fly too far, hitting the ground with a mediocre splat, and Mipha suddenly suspects that Revali may have been the real perpetrator behind her assault.

She can’t be mad at him in the slightest. The way he holds his stomach with his wing as his laughter dies into small chuckles- the crease of his eyes, lifted by the smile stretched across his beak. It’s… something she’d never seen before. All of a sudden, the atmosphere doesn’t feel quite so cold, and she feels spellbound looking at him like this. He was so cheerful now, when yesterday, he’d been so quiet and forlorn. 

Her eyes quickly flit away from him, favouring the snow pooled around her feet. Her brain ticks for a moment as Sidon chatters loudly to both of them, and a grin begins to sneak its way upon her face. She takes Sidon’s hand.

“Well, we still have a little way to go, don’t we? Revali, may you take the lead? We are still unaccustomed to the terrain here.”

Revali shakes off the remains of his laughter, adopting a more refined demeanour as he begins to plod further up the mountain. He extends a wing and he says, “I suppose I can do. I cannot expect you to be overly familiar with this area- you only arrived here yester-- _ ack! _ ”

He cuts himself off with a short, sharp squawk as something cold hits him hard from behind, crumbling into his feathers and chilling the skin beneath. He hurriedly shakes himself down, rubbing the cold sensation away with his wing, as he spins around to see Mipha and Sidon sharing a laugh together, now at his expense. How had he not seen that coming?

Normally, he would grow rather irate with this attitude, but, firstly, he supposes this was simply revenge on Mipha’s part, secondly, Sidon was just a child and he couldn’t  _ really  _ bring himself to be angry at the small boy, and thirdly…

...she looked so beautiful when she laughed. It was like the breeze gently stirring the strings of a harp, barely heard over the wind that blew between them. His braids whip wildly through the sudden gale and her fins do the same- her face still bursting with delight. A prompt urge to stalk over there unexpectedly courses through him, if only to hear that laughter up close. 

  
  


But then, he feels very cold all over, and the sensation is so foreign to him, so unfamiliar, that all he can do in that moment is run a wing over his arm, watching uselessly as Mipha and Sidon begin to wade towards him. 

“Come on,” Mipha chirps, “We’ll go just a little bit higher and then we’ll be done!” 

He swallows thickly, waiting for them to pass, before trudging behind them. How radiant she looked under the light of the sun. The sparkling of snow around her only accentuated the glimmering of her scales and the sheen of her jewellery. He facetiously curses the avian instincts within him. The twinkling was certainly mesmerising, but he wonders just where this sudden infatuation was coming from.

He shakes it off. Nothing worth worrying about right now. Instead, he focuses on following them up to the next steady landing of rock that serves as a perfect viewpoint of the rest of the region. There’s no way they would’ve gone all the way to the top, but it seemed like they were content with coming this far. 

Mipha manages to tread up to the edge of the cliff, marvelling at the incredible sight before her. Revali watches as Sidon dashes off towards another large pile of snow near the trees, as he sidles up next to the princess. They stand there, side-by-side, observing the view and overlooking the rest of the world.

Revali can’t help but continually glance over at Mipha out of the corner of her eye, gauging her reaction, and it’s honestly really quite sweet. He’s not sure he could ever grow tired of seeing that big, beaming grin. He’d never been able to see this much raw emotion before the two of them had visited Eventide. He’d simply assumed she, like all other royalty he’d had to meet with in his life, was boringly polite. Refined. Perhaps slightly disconnected, but that’s just what he’d grown to expect.

Mipha was different. She was small, and at first, not much else than what could be seen on the outside, but over time, he’d seen all of these strange little sides to her- parts of her that made her so real. So intriguing. Surely, she was like any other person, but that’s just what made it so much more desirable to him. 

She was… desirable to him.

He blinks. What a weird thought to just walk into his head. Is that really how he felt? He’d never worded it like  _ that  _ before. In fact, he’d never ever considered it, but now that he was beginning to think about it, the sudden squeeze he can feel in his chest is plain telling.

“You’re staring.”

Before he can even begin to identify the pieces, let alone put them together, he’s interrupted by Mipha’s rather blunt statement. She’s definitely not wrong. He’d zoned out a little bit after a while, and now he found his eyes still locked onto her. Her words are enough to alarm him, but instead of reeling back, he indulges his urges just this once and replies, “I am.”

Mipha hadn’t been expecting him to say that. So much so that she’s silent too, trying to work out what the protocol for this particular situation was. Why was he staring at her? It was… almost daunting, if the sensation of his eyes on her wasn’t something she found so enjoyable. He flashes an apologetic kind of smile.

“My apologies. You just… appeared to be quite happy,” he folds his wings, before adding, “I’ve seen this view many, many times. Sometimes, it’s much nicer to watch other people. I brought you here to enjoy yourself- I hope you don’t mind if I appreciate that.”

Well, she hadn’t been expecting him to say  _ that  _ either, but with every word that left his beak, she found herself becoming more and more understanding. Sure, his wording might be just a little  _ too  _ eloquent, but it simply sounded as if he was enjoying the sight of her having fun. It takes her a moment to really process that, and once she does, she finds herself overcome with an uncontrollable smile- one that she has to conceal behind her hand. How sweet of him.

Though, even more surprisingly, Revali hadn’t been expecting himself to say that either. He’d never admit it, but he normally finds himself far more panicked by these little lapses, and he really does have to twist his words to be able to get out of it without looking strange. That excuse had come out with no thought whatsoever. It’s almost like it was true.

Mipha giggles. “Thank you. For bringing us here, I mean. I’m… glad to finally see you.”

The bitter wind that normally plagues the mountains, even in the nicest of weather, suddenly dies altogether, leaving them both soaking up the warmth of the sun. Revali feels like his breath has been taken along with it, but he doesn’t mind. In fact, it’s something he quite likes.

They stand like that for a moment.

It’s peaceful...but Revali can’t help but find himself plagued by a thought. Was she cold? They  _ were  _ quite high, and he’d given his one spare scarf to Sidon. She wasn’t shivering, but she still stood as if she were trying to compact herself into the smallest space possible. Her eyes are still trained on the distant horizon, oblivious to the cacophony of thoughts within the Rito Champion’s head, until he finally speaks.

“Are you cold?”

He holds his breath- to think he’d dared to ask that, and yet it was still such an innocuous question. Mipha doesn’t seem too perturbed by it either. Well, that’s what he thought, anyway. Just like she would have no idea of the turmoil within his head, he had no idea of the turmoil within hers. 

She puts a finger to her chin, head bowed in a shy manner, as she replies, “Um… well, I’m alright. I just… don’t think I should stay up here for too long. It is getting a bit chilly. Not that that’s a problem!” she raises her hands in a dismissive manner, hoping not to convey the wrong idea to her friend- whatever that idea may be. 

Even if he can’t see into her head, he can still see through her words, and, spying just a tiny contradiction between verbal and body language, he can feel his confidence flooding back, as he sighs, “You don’t have to pretend with me, princess. Whilst you’re here, it’s purely my job to keep you comfortable. At the very least, tell me if something is wrong.”

This is the first time he’s feared his own words to be too harsh, and he dares himself to extend a wing to brush her shoulder. It’s up to her, if she’d like to seek warmth within his feathers, but he sincerely hopes she accepts his gesture. At the very least, it would let him know that she’s comfortable with him.

Mipha shudders as the tips of his feathers graze her shoulder and, overcome with the sudden desire to throw herself into his wings, she moves to close the gap between us, but before she can reach out to embrace the warmth he had to offer, something out of the corner of her eye startles her.

Well, in this case, it was a lack of something that startled her.

Her eyes suddenly dart in all directions, running over everything she could possibly see, and her body grows ten times colder as she suddenly shouts, “Sidon?”

The wind whistles through the surrounding trees, but there is no response to be heard. Mipha snatches her trident with a shocking amount of force as she begins to stalk through the snow, quicker than she ever had before.

“Sidon!”

Revali joins her, brows creased in concern, “Where is he?”

For a moment, she can only stammer uselessly, before squeaking, “I don’t know! Sidon!” 

She moves again, hurrying towards the tree she’d last seen him hanging around, inspecting it as thoroughly as she could, whilst being quick and also racked with pure panic. Where was he? Where else was there for him to go? Hylia, what if he fell?! Mipha’s eyes become pinpricks as she emits a torn and ragged breath, but before she can begin to charge off in search of her brother, something pulls her into place and holds her there.

Revali doesn’t like the look on her face. Her eyes are brimming with anxiety, her mouth twists in fear, and the way she’s shuddering like that is purely unbearable- it pains him to see her like this and pains him to know something could’ve happened to the poor, unsuspecting prince. However, she needed a pillar of reliability here, so that’s what he was going to do.

“W-We need to find him! What if he fell?! He won’t answer-- I...I--” before she can even try to stumble over another word, Revali tightens his grip on her arms, leaning down to look her as dead in the eyes as he can, hoping to convey his sincerity.

“Stay here.”

Her mouth drops open. He turns to move in the opposite direction but Mipha hurriedly grabs onto his wing, “What?! I can’t stay here-- I have to find him right now!”

With a sudden forceful motion (and in a manner he doesn’t quite like) he roughly pushes her away, urging her to stay in place- his brows furrow into a deep and slightly dark expression, as he repeats, “Stay here. I’ll find him.”

Leaving her no room to argue, he reels back and shoots up into the sky, but this time, Mipha takes no pleasure from seeing it. It leaves her knees quaking, as she clutches as tightly as she can onto her sole weapon. She fights with the idea of staying put. She can’t just stay there, not when her younger brother had disappeared seemingly into thin air! On the other hand, if she got herself in danger, she’d only worry everybody else too. Revali would be cross with her if she left and that’s not something she feels she wants to see. Then again, how could he blame her? 

Discontent with staying put, she decides to bide her time investigating as much of this area as she can, whilst Revali takes to the skies to see if he can find the small prince.

Well, he thinks, he may be small, but he’s also bright red, and in the snow, that’s not exactly something you miss. There’s no way he could’ve travelled far in the few moments that he and Mipha had had their backs to him- not unless he’d been snatched by something, but the chances of that were kind of unlikely. This part of the mountains had always been clear- at least, that’s what he remembers. Had he misjudged that? He grits his beak, dropping altitude as he begins to closely scour the land beneath him.

Come on, he had to be somewhere. Where would a kid like him run off to? There was nothing else around that he couldn’t see where they were before. Revali nervously inches his gaze towards the steep drops sharply embedded within the side of the mountain. He… couldn’t have, could he? Just thinking about it was making him feel a little bit nauseous. 

He dips to the side, tilting slightly as he does so as the bitter winds weave through his feathers, and it sure as hell doesn’t help his current state of mind. He could freeze to death out here- especially if he’d fallen into water! 

Revali can feel the dread seeping in, slowly filling up his nerves, and, well, he’s not one to panic here (especially not if Mipha was) but he’s coming very close to assuming the worst, until--

\--suddenly, he spots an uncharacteristic flash of deep red amongst the sea of ivory beneath him. Without a single moment of hesitation, he drops altitude and begins to effectively nosedive straight towards what he can only pray was the missing child.

He lands a little too roughly on the thick snow, almost stumbling over, as he darts towards a small pair of red legs sticking out of a snowdrift, kicking wildly. With a quick heave, Revali manages to pull a small Zora child out of frozen mass and he holds him close. Finally, he allows himself to emit a few victory breaths- he hadn’t realised it, but the tension had stopped his breathing the entire time he was in the air, and he was beginning to feel the burning sting of the lack of oxygen deep within his chest.

“What happened to you?!” Revali can’t help but cry- he’d been, well, probably not as worried as  _ Mipha,  _ but he’d been deathly afraid for the child. Sidon seems a little dazed, still recovering from being planted upside down in a drift of snow, but he snuggles into the warmth of Revali’s feathers, allowing himself to be carried.

“Um,” Sidon squints, trying to remember how his predicament had come about, “I think I fell. Not far! See, the snow broke my fall! It was a bit cold, though…” he emits a small, wet cough as he decides resting his head upon Revali’s shoulder was a much nicer use of his energy.

Revali wants to collapse, honestly, but he knows his work isn’t done until he returns him to Mipha. Looking up, however, he can see that the ridge they were standing was just a few meters up. He must’ve slipped off the edge by mistake, but it wasn’t a straight drop. The way the cliffside curves outwards may have acted more like a slide, so Sidon’s fall hadn’t been fatal. Lucky for everyone, he supposes, but this is the last time he’s bringing people out here.

Revali pats the small prince’s head, “Shall we get you back to your sister, then? She’s worried sick about you,” he asks, and Sidon nods. To his surprise, however, Revali bends over and sets him back down on to the ground. He tilts his head, wondering why the older Rito was crouching down, until Reval indicates with a twitch of his head.

“Come on, climb onto my back-- and hold on tight, you hear? I’ll take you back.”

Sidon has no idea what’s going on, but Revali is older than he is and a dear friend of his sister, so he trusts him wholeheartedly. He clambers onto the Rito Champion’s back and decides to hold tightly onto the straps of his pauldrons. 

Revali doesn’t plan to use Revali’s Gale to take off. He’d almost dropped Mipha last time he attempted that (he’d never tell her), but Sidon was much more precious cargo, so he settles for a normal takeoff from the edge of this particular platform, though not without checking to see if Sidon was comfortable and holding on tight. Lucky for him, Sidon seems to have a sort of death-grip, which is both relieving and slightly frightening.

He tries to take off as gently as he can, hoping that Sidon won’t panic and try to abandon ship once he jumps off the edge, but the natural updrafts that occur within this section of the mountains do him an enormous favour. It gently carries them both up without him having to gain altitude by circling around. However, a sudden shrill squeal almost knocks him off balance, yanking the breath from out of him… 

...until he hears the pleasant sound of Sidon’s laughter, ringing loudly through the clear air. It’s enough to draw a small sigh from him, but the prince was alright and that’s what mattered. As he swoops overhead, he can see Mipha beneath him, and he sets about landing as gently as possible. 

Though… maybe not without flying around a little bit more, much to the delight of his little passenger.

* * *

“Where did you go?! We were so worried!!”

Mipha hasn’t let go of Sidon for about ten minutes. She also hasn’t been able to let him get a word in edgeways, as she holds him close with a grip like a vice. From the slightly squashed look on Sidon’s face, he’s probably used to this. He manages to squeeze himself out of Mipha’s grip- enough to respond coherently, anyway.

“I fell… sorry, Mi.”

Mipha’s mouth drops open and she hurriedly begins to check Sidon for injuries- Sidon uselessly bats her away with his tiny hands, trying to convince her that he was fine, but the attempts are futile. Revali isn’t sure he’d ever seen this much expression coming from Mipha- it might’ve been funny if the situation hadn’t been so dire.

After she deems him alright, she holds him close again, “No, Sidon, it’s not your fault- I was supposed to be looking after you! I had no idea you fell. Please forgive me,” her voice is small and her eyes are teary. She gently puts a hand to Sidon’s cheek, cherishing the fact that he was still here with her. She wouldn’t know what she’d do if she lost him like that.

“I’m fine! It’s okay, Mi,” he says, reassuringly, before pausing for a moment, and tacking on, “I promise I won’t walk off again,” in a quiet voice. Revali suspects he already knew not to run off too far, from the way his eyes drift away from them in a manner most guilty.

Well, this wouldn’t do. It had been quite a scare, but there was no need for this. He kneels down to put a wing around both of them.

“It was simply an accident- neither of you are to blame. Why don’t we head back down and find something else to do?”

She doesn’t say anything, but Mipha appreciates his rationality here. She can’t help but feel awful for allowing Sidon to wander off into danger, but she feels the need to express her appreciation for Revali's efforts. Perhaps now wasn’t the best time, though.

“I think Tilli will be getting bored by now. Why don’t we go back to the village and you can go play with her,” Revali amicably pats the top of Sidon’s head, and with his usual pep, Sidon nods, though it’s waning just a little bit. A chipper individual he may be, but this little predicament has clearly taken something out of him. Revali thinks a bit of food and spending time with the other kids might be better for him right now.

Mipha glances up at him, flashing a grateful expression, as Revali wordlessly takes her trident, allowing her to carry Sidon comfortably as they begin to make headway down the curve of the mountain. Hopefully, going down it will be easier than walking up it.

Luckily, the sky remains clear for the journey down. There’s no distant clouds that threaten rain, snow or hail, so there’s nothing stopping them from taking their time, moseying around the stretch of Lake Totori and still enjoying the view as they do so. The water ripples gently, peacefully, with nothing to disturb it but the light breeze. Surely, the journey back was far less stressful than the journey up. Mipha can feel her skin beginning to warm up slightly under the gaze of the sun, away from the chilly temperatures that shroud the mountains.

Mipha shifts her head slightly, chin resting atop Sidon’s head, as she says, “Shall we take a dip before we head back?”

With his head resting in the crook of her neck, Sidon manages a nod- he’s been quiet for a while now and Mipha suspects he’s already tired out. They’d had enough excitement for today, so Mipha is happy to spend the rest of the day relaxing in the village, though she finds her desire to do so strange.

It might seem a little unexpected, but Mipha isn’t the type to actively pursue relaxation (not as a hobby and especially not during the day) so, during times where she is kept in one place for too long, she finds herself becoming fidgety. That being said, she is not a hyperactive individual- not like Sidon. Even as a child, she’d been quite slow, peacefully enjoying her surroundings and taking things at her own pace, but her lack of activities today, aside from losing her brother on a mountain, may leave her raring to get up and do something (though it probably wouldn’t extend far past simply taking a walk around the village).

Mipha thinks this is what she likes to see in Revali. It had been more apparent in him than in her, but he too was quite the proactive individual. She can only assume his drive comes from his motivation to become better and better, but she wonders if perhaps this is just how he is as a person. Much like her, there’s a compulsive need to do something, even if it’s small, and Mipha suspects that may be something they share.

She knows herself well enough to know that, come the evening, she will want to stretch her legs a little, so as the three of them approach the bridges that string the handful of islands together, Mipha looks up at Revali and asks if he would like to return to the Flight Range later on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my desire to post story outweighs my desire to write story


	25. I've Always Been Here

Similar to the night before, Mipha once again finds herself perched near the crackling fire that banishes the cold from the small hut, bathing both her and Revali in a comfortable warmth. After spending the day loitering around the village, investigating every flight deck and viewing platform, she was happy to finally use up a bit of energy making the journey out here- after putting Sidon to bed, of course. Revali had initially insisted on flying them both, but she had adamantly refused, craving the short jaunt from the village gate to the range.

She’s happy to sit before the fire and enjoy the ambient glow it provides. However, sitting here now only reminds her of their conversation from yesterday. In fact, she may not want to admit it, but it might be why she’d asked Revali to accompany her here to begin with.

Though the chat they’d had yesterday may have had its ups and downs, Mipha just knew she was beginning to see these little flecks of what she’d been searching for within her friend. It was like seeing the faint glittering of an ore, embedded deep within rock. Extracting it is a careful process, lest you break the ore within, too.

She still finds it curious how he becomes so relaxed and inoffensive as the night grows on. She’d spent quite a few nights with him now, and each time, she’d always noted the change in demeanour and the development of tranquility. Was he always like this, or was it because she was here with him?

He’s prodding at the fire again, eyes trained on the flickering flames. Mipha is happy to just watch him. She wonders if he knows that.

However, he startles her, moving not a single muscle as he quietly points out, “Now who’s the one staring?”

Mipha’s small, natural smile slowly blooms into a bigger one- without missing a beat, she replies, “My reasoning is much the same as yours.”

Revali shakes his head with a touch of derision, but it’s insincere. However, the slightly glassy look in his eyes is something that does not pass Mipha by. She can tell he’s formed a response in his head, so she wonders why he’s not saying it. 

There’s nothing to pry into here. She allows him a moment to himself, redirecting her gaze to the delightful fire. She doesn’t exactly feel the need to fill every moment of silence with words. Normally he’d be the one rabbiting on, but his talkative nature seems to fade with the sunlight. 

Still, she feels like there’s something she’s just not getting. Even just by observing him- from his expression, to his body language, Mipha is periodically getting the suspicion that there’s something she’s missing. Revali may not necessarily be hiding it from her, either, which is a frustrating thought for her. He’d been like this for a while now, and Mipha just can’t put her finger on it. Perhaps that had been what she’d really wanted to question him about yesterday.

“Are you doing alright?”

Revali blinks- he probably hadn’t been expecting that. Come to think of it, as concerned as Mipha tends to be, it’s not often she outright asks this question. Sometimes it was the best way to go about it, but she doubts Revali would tell her the truth. 

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

...and she thought  _ she _ was being blunt. She exhales through a smile, like a delicate sigh, but replies softly, “I hope I did not upset you with what I said yesterday. I suppose it’s not my place to pry, no matter how close we may be.”

Revali swallows. Close? He’d partially expected this particular response, but he’d expected no allusion to their intimacy. To consider the two of them as close- would that even be true? He shakes his head before he dares to think further on it.

“You did no such thing. As if a few questions could upset me,” his regular, cocky tone does shine through every now and then, and Mipha still can’t believe that she takes enjoyment in hearing it. Perhaps it’s because it lets her know everything is normal.

Well, that’s what she’d usually think. Revali reverting to his usual demeanour was generally a good thing for her, but there’s something about his words that doesn’t sit right with her. 

Mainly because it appeared to be an absolute lie. 

Of course he’d been upset. He’d snapped at her twice, and she knows he wouldn’t fake being upset if he tried so hard to conceal his true emotions. She just doesn’t understand what he has to hide from her. Would it pain him so much just to admit to her that he’d been hurt? For a moment, she fears that perhaps it’s her fault he won’t say it. She frowns, but not deeply- it barely leaves a mark on her face.

“I don’t believe you.”

Revali’s eyes flit up to meet hers and… somehow, they seem so far away.

“What?”

Mipha rests her hands in her lap, looking down at the floorboards and watching the flickering of light there, “Maybe ‘upset’ is not the word to use, but I know you weren’t happy with what I said. It was quite obvious.”

Revali desperately wants to roll his eyes, but the sombre expression on Mipha’s face is enough to cause his own features to briefly soften. She sure did make things difficult for him. How could it be so hard to predict this girl? He emits a soft sigh.

“I just didn’t see why you had to bring up Link. I thought you came here to forget about him but-- yes, like you said, sometimes you  _ do  _ have to take a step back to take a proper step forward, but… I just don’t see what he has to do with anything. I simply do not like him. Is that what you wanted to know?”

Not quite, she thinks. She’d wanted to know why, but she doesn’t feel like pursuing that line of conversation again. Not when something else was beginning to weigh on her mind, and after so long, she thinks she’s finally beginning to put some pieces together.

“That question had been a mistake. It wasn’t actually what I’d really wanted to ask. I suppose it just… came out.”

Typical, Revali thinks, but the way Mipha’s eyes search the flames makes it clear she’s struggling with something. If only he could tell what she was thinking. 

“So, then what  _ did  _ you want to ask?”

Mipha’s mouth sets into a line. There’s really no other way she can put it, and she’s desperately trying to plan this ahead so as to avoid running into a nasty dead end, but… is it any of her business? Would this drive him further away from her? What was making this so hard?

She shakes her head.

“I… honestly wanted to know what's been wrong with you.”

Revali deflates slightly, though not out of despondence- his expression does not change, either, “I just told you, I’m fine.”

A facetious smile graces her lips, “And I just told you, I don’t believe you.”

She’d half-expected Revali to grow more visibly exasperated, but to her surprise, his face remains passive as he says, “You can believe that all you like, it doesn’t make it true. I’m not sure where you’re getting this from, but you have no real reason to assume anything. Do you really think I’m that fragile?”

“It’s not a matter of fragility. You just haven’t been yourself for a while now and I’ve noticed.”

Revali’s eyes flash, as he quickly responds, “Oh, really? Since when?”

Sure, his words had meant to mock her, but he hadn’t expected her to meet his gaze with something so rigid- he’s never seen defiance and determination look so gentle, and he finds himself almost standing down before she’s even said anything. Something about her eyes boring into him felt dangerous. It felt like he was losing, but at what, he doesn’t know.

“Since… since Ganon.”

The fire seems to have suddenly died down quite quickly, sapping most of the light from the hut and leaving them with nothing but a pile of embers and a pulsing glow that feels like the only life in the room. 

He can’t feign surprise. Of course she’d notice something like that, but he doesn’t hesitate to remind her, “Well, that’s hardly unusual. You saw what happened. So what if I’m not the most optimistic person in the world. I’d hardly imagine anybody else to be after almost dying. It won’t last forever.”

“That’s… not what I was talking about.”

He raises an eyebrow, “No?”

She tilts her head from side to side for a moment, visibly processing her list of options, but after a while, she emits a sort of humourless noise. She feels exasperated by herself.

“If you would allow me to be blunt…”

“That hasn’t stopped you in the past.”

She nearly laughs, but the weight of what’s bothering her is too great to allow that. She wonders if Revali really has any idea what he does to her. 

She swallows.

“During the coronation ceremony… I looked over to see you. You looked so… unhappy. Why was that?”

She doesn’t look up at him. She patiently waits for a response, whatever it may be. Normally, the longer a response takes, the more she is fuelled by the anxiety of the answer, but this time around she enjoys his hesitance. It lets her know he’s considering it.

It had taken her so long to figure it out. She’d seen that face of his many times after the ceremony and it had been unforgettable. The way the corners of his beak sit at the most neutral angle, the way his brows are pulled down with his lidded eyes- she’s becoming accustomed to distinguishing the subtleties of his expressions, but she’d been surprised to find herself taken all the way back to the coronation ceremony.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It was a serious ceremony. Forgive me for not giving the princess the respect she deserves."

“You’re a proud man,” she says softly, “and this was the moment you had every right to be proud. We were made heroes of Hyrule. You’d… become the best. Isn’t that what you’d always wanted? I just don’t understand why you looked so defeated.”

Whatever face Revali is pulling now, she doesn’t bother to look up and see. She can just about hear the slight bristling of feathers, followed by his voice, and… hearing it like this is filling her with an indescribable emotion that wells in her chest, threatening to burst out.

“Because I  _ was  _ defeated.”

“But we were all--”

“It doesn’t matter. I’d… lost to Ganon.”

Mipha’s eyes gradually run over his body until they reach his face, but she can’t bring herself to look at his eyes. She fears what she’s about to hear, but she’s unsure why.

"Revali, we won. Ganon is no more- we all suffered through battle, but our kingdom is safe because of it,” she understands how the horrors of war infects a psyche, and it’s hard to scrub out, but no matter what state they’d ended up in, they’d still done their job. They’d won.

Revali emits a withered sigh, but it’s not as condescending as it normally is, and Mipha really misses that. She wants to reach out, to touch him, but her hands are glued to her lap, fating her to stay in place. When his silence continues, she fills the empty space.

“It wasn’t just then, either. The celebration, too- you spent most of the night on your own. When we were on your landing, you didn’t seem like yourself. Even after that, when we were watching you fly, you looked so forlorn! You’ve been alright for the most part, sure, but even these little moments- it’s not like you. Revali… is that why you’ve been like this?”

“Y...you noticed that?”

For a moment, he seems to toy with the idea of rebuffing her attempts to get him to speak, but the way his eyes linger on the dying fire, the faint light reflecting a wistful face, suggests to Mipha that… perhaps, just this once, he would like to speak. She desperately wants to hear him and, eventually, he deflates a touch, and gives in.

“Perhaps this is just something you can’t understand. I’d… trained so hard. I became the best in my village. I became the most skilled in my craft. I’m quite literally unrivalled-- at this moment in time, there is not a single person in Hyrule who could best me in archery.”

She’s heard this rhetoric many times, but this is the first time that she’s come to realise that he isn’t boasting. He’s actually correct. He was well-respected amongst the Rito as being a master of his craft, a specialist in aerial combat. He really  _ was  _ the best of the best, but hearing him admit this in such a regretful tone fills Mipha with dread.

“I’d even done something no Rito had ever done before-- I’d invented a way to fly so high, like it was nothing at all. Do you have any idea how revolutionary that move is for my people? Sure, it’s hard, but it’s real! I made an actual dream come to life.”

His voice is so earnest, yet it cracks in all the little places.

“I… honestly thought I could do it. Sure, Link’s  _ always  _ been the hero…but I suppose I had my faith in him. He was always meant to be the one to defeat Ganon, yet… I couldn’t even take down a fraction of him. I couldn’t get any better than this… and I still died.”

The fire is gone. The outline of his face is only barely seen, reflected with the light of the moon.

“I can’t stand to be hailed as a hero when all I did was lose my life.”

Mipha can’t see through the dark, but she tentatively reaches out, hoping to latch onto anything she can because his words are beginning to make her feel shaky- she wants nothing more than to hold him.

“You’re still here,” she whispers, grabbing onto his wing and hoping he wouldn’t notice, “you never lost your life.”

“It feels like I did. To think you were the one that saved me. You are what the princess was referring to.  _ You  _ were the hero who healed us all!  _ You  _ were the one who spurred the princess into unlocking her power--”

He suddenly stops short, emitting a ragged breath and a bitter laugh.

“To stand alongside all of you...I should’ve known I was never good enough.”

Mipha breaks.

Giving in to the urge she’d felt time and time again, Mipha pushes herself from her seat on the floor, and without hesitation, allows herself to simply fall into Revali’s lap. Her hand traces the shape of his neck up to the side of his face, where she gently savours the sensation of soft feathers there. 

“Please don’t say such things,” she quietly begs him, “you have no idea what you’ve really done. You were the one to spur me to speak back at Mt Lanayru. You were the one who gave me what I needed to heal-- even when I had failed you, even when you were dying, you still reached out to me when I needed you. You promised to never let me get hit and I believed you. I've always believed you.”

She places both of her hands on either side of his face, cupping it gently as her words linger in the air. The feeling of being pressed against him, like she had been when they had danced, makes her tremble in a way she never knew it would. She can feel the feathers beneath her fingers bristling, too. He shudders, and, running a thumb under the curve of his eye, she wonders why his cheek is wet, as his voice crackles from within his throat.

“You… were everything that I couldn’t be.”

Mipha’s stomach suddenly churns at his words, and all she can bring herself to do is wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close. He’s still remarkably bigger than her, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to cradle him against her chest, holding onto as much of him as she can possibly manage. She can’t stop herself from squeezing him, clutching him so tightly, in a desperate attempt to let him know she was right there. She’d always been right there.

She’d known something was off, but she’d never have guessed it would’ve been this. How he must’ve suffered in silence. He never would’ve reached out to her had she not said anything. To think he’d been right there, within arms reach, and yet…

“Don’t say that. I was only able to hold my head high because you could.”

As her words linger in the cold mountain air, Mipha slowly begins to feel her body being enveloped with warmth, and she realises that Revali is slowly, tentatively, wrapping his own wings around her small frame. There’s not much of her to hold, but it’s enough for him. She can tell he’s really hesitant to allow himself to do this, so she squeezes and she squeezes, silently pleading with him to continue. 

Let yourself have this, is what she thinks.

Because she knows he's thinking 'I don't deserve it'.


	26. Divine Curse

Contrary to the day before, the morning is grey and cloudy, draping atop the Hebra skies like a thick sheet of snow. Everything is pure, stark white. It’s clean, clear- perhaps a little gloomy- but pleasantly atmospheric nonetheless. This weather seems to be quite common in this region of Hyrule, so Mipha isn’t particularly surprised to see it upon waking up.

However, she  _ is  _ appropriately stunned to find herself surrounded by the cozy interior of the Flight Range hut. This… wasn’t her usual lodgings. In fact, she doesn’t even remember falling asleep, but somehow, she finds herself tucked up in a hammock that’s suspended dangerously high above the floor. Ignoring the hurdle of trying to get down, Mipha has to think hard to remember the events of last night.

She remembers Revali. Though she couldn’t see his face through the thick dark of the night, she can still feel the crease of his beak and the dampness of his feathers on the pads of her fingers. She’d actually managed to witness him during a moment of genuine weakness, and just the memory of it makes her shudder. 

However, the memory of being nestled in his lap, arms around him, gently soothed the shivers that threatened to run up her spine. She wonders if he’d enjoyed that as much as she’d had.

Careful not to rock the hammock too much, Mipha peeks out over the side of it, searching for her feathered friend. Part of her wasn’t even expecting him to be here- she’s not sure why- but he’s simply sat on the floor next to a freshly-rekindled fire that’s beginning to softly crackle away. Guess that was her cue to get up.

Her eyes drop to the floor- it seems miles away from where she is, and sitting up is even more nerve-wracking. Had Revali placed her here? There’s no way she could get up here without assistance- she certainly doesn’t remember doing it herself, either- but the thought of being tucked into bed by him definitely lightened her morning.

She clears her throat, "Ahem. Um… Revali?" 

Revali perks up with a hum, looking up to where Mipha is sitting- her expression is badly concealed concern and her eyes seem to plead with him. 

"Could… could you help me get down, please? It's rather high." 

Revali gets to his feet and stretches his wings up to her, coaxing her to put her faith in him and sort of wriggle into his arms. Mipha manages to do so safely, but not without gritting her teeth. One slip of the wing and she'd be in the firepit- they'd already come close to one disaster this trip. She didn't need another. 

He carefully sets her down on the floor and the two silently take a seat around the fire. Mipha is unsure if Revali is simply a quiet morning person or if he was preoccupied by something, and considering the events of last night, she suspects it to be the latter. 

Should she say anything? Should she leave it? He may have spilt a portion of his heart to her last night, but that didn't mean she knew how to help him effectively. He did seem like the kind of person who would prefer to talk as little about it as he possibly could. 

"Thank you for putting me to bed last night. I apologise- I don't even remember falling asleep," she says cheerfully, hoping an awkward moment for her would elicit a more positive mood from him. 

"I was surprised that you did that," he says plainly, "but it was no problem. I was worried you'd freeze to death in the night, but it's a relief to see you alive and well," he smirks, and the colour has returned to his eyes, setting Mipha’s heart at ease.

“I could say the same,” she titters. 

For a moment, the hut is calm. The snow is still softly falling around them, and it shines brightly under the early morning light. Mipha isn’t sure she’ll ever get tired of watching snowfall. It was remarkably therapeutic to observe. A little too cold to be wading in, but nice to appreciate from a distance.

The fire grows larger, soaking up the short chunks of wood with its flame- Revali’s voice is uncharacteristically low, barely heard through the crackling. 

“Are you leaving today?”

“Tonight or tomorrow- though I’d prefer tonight,” she says, which is an absolute lie. Well, technically, yes, if she had to pick a time to make the journey home, she would prefer tonight. However, a very big part of her doesn’t want to leave at all. If she could, she’d stay for as long as she desired, but she had her own home to return to and a younger brother to care for. Still, it had been a marvellous few days for her.

Revali doesn’t say anything. He’s still so quiet and Mipha is starting to dislike this. Where was the usual Revali? Where was the exuberant spirit, the needless arrogance and the indomitable ego? She can understand if his mood is still poor, but she is beginning to miss it.

Mipha suddenly shakes her head-- that wasn’t right! How could she be behaving like this when he’d clearly hit an enormous rough patch? True, she’d much rather see that (debatably) charming personality of his, but that only meant that she’d have to be the one to help him through this. After all, he’d managed to drag her right through to the other side of her own hard times. Even with a broken will and a mouth full of blood, he’d still reached out to her. This just meant she had to return the favour, and she would do, tenfold.

“Since this will be my last day here,” Mipha perks up, now fully awake and brimming with passion, “I actually have a request for you. Do you think you could help me?”

Revali watches the way her ruby-painted lips quirk up into her own signature smile- he’ll admit, he’s intrigued. “Alright,” he murmurs, though not without a hint of amusement, “what exactly did you have in mind, princess?”

She places her hands in her lap, the metal bands around her wrists clink as she does so, “I would quite like to see Vah Medoh.”

Revali is wordless for quite a while, and expressionless too. Since when had he developed such an effective poker face? She patiently, albeit nervously, awaits his response, and after a moment, he hangs his head with a meagre laugh.

“Interested to see the place where I fell, are you? Well, I suppose it’s ironic I almost met my fate in the sky. I’m surprised you asked in such a forthright manner.”

Mipha frowns, “That’s not at all what my intention was. I have long since desired to observe your Divine Beast up close. It’s positively mesmerising, seeing it in the sky all the way from my region. You’ve always been very proud of it, and since you never had a chance to bedazzle me with your prowess, I thought now may very well be a good opportunity.”

“It’s not like you to fuel my ego.”

“It’s not like you to lose it in the first place.”

He smiles, “You know, I actually anticipated this request. I was going to give something to you yesterday, but it… slipped my mind. Perhaps now is a more opportune moment for it.”

It takes him a minute, but Revali gets up and begins to sift through the contents of a drawer behind him. Mipha’s gaze is quizzical- she hadn’t expected anything like this. As she waits patiently, he finally retrieves something.

“I don’t exactly have a limitless number of scarves-- I’d given one to your brother, seeing as he would’ve benefited from it more than you, but don’t think you slipped my mind,” he reaches over, something concealed within his clasped wing, and he holds it out for her to take. When she outstretches her hands, he drops the item comfortably into them.

It’s… a gem. It’s more than a gem- there are feathers attached to it, as well. They’re soft to the touch and the ruby is warm in the palm of her hand. She blinks, looking up at her companion.

“Um. What is it?”

“You weren’t paying very much attention when I guided you around the village, were you?”

Mipha smiles politely, “There was a lot to take in.”

With a small huff, Revali shuffles over to her, gently taking the small item, “It’s effectively a headdress. Whilst we normally make them for Hylians, we’re able to accommodate for you, too. Since it’s infused with ruby, it’ll keep you warm in low temperatures. Fitting, considering the altitude at which Medoh flies will freeze your skin quicker than you can shiver.”

Mipha inspects the gift closely, marvelling in how well it appears to have been crafted. The feathers are small but soft, painted a pale shade of cream- Mipha gently fingers the thick fibres, enjoying the pleasant sensation of it upon her skin.

“Thank you, Revali. It’s lovely.”

“I understand that your dainty little head is already occupied with, well, all of this--” he gestures loosely to the array of sparkling metals that adorn her, “but I should be able to affix it well enough… if you’d like me to?”

Mipha doesn’t hesitate to beam at him, “Yes, please.”

The few minutes it takes for him to neatly fasten the new accessory to her headpiece is a few minutes of bliss for Mipha. Even without words, there was something there within their proximity that brought her a sense of comfort. A sense of enjoyment. The sensation of his feathers barely brushing against her skin is one that pleasantly sets every one of Mipha’s nerves on edge. It feels like a remarkably foreign feeling, but one that she savours.

“There you go. Fits perfectly.”

Mipha brings a hand up to gently run across the new piece that adorns her head- it might take a while to get used to such a new accessory, but she can’t stop the smile that’s bursting across her lips. How lovely of him. 

“It’s incredibly kind of you to do this for me,” she tells him, “You’ve been nothing but considerate to all of us.”

Revali seems to balk slightly at these words, but he quickly replaces that with a dismissive wave of the wing, “It’s nothing. I have a reputation and responsibilities to uphold- and seeing as you’re a fellow Champion, I can’t exactly be cutting corners, here.”

Mipha’s lips fall into a slant, “That sounds like an awful lot of pressure.”

“Coming from somebody who is quite literally royalty.”

“My pressures are different to your pressures,” she smiles placidly, “what I may struggle with, you may find to be a simple task and vice versa. I’m merely stating that you appear to have an overwhelming amount to live up to- at least, I’d find it overwhelming.”

“Nice to know that you’d struggle in my position.”

They share a quiet laugh that soon dies, leaving nothing but the ambient sounds of snowfall and fire. There’s a moment of simply existing, here. Neither seem particular pressed to say anything to fill the silence. However, after a while, Mipha can’t help but desire to share a particularly intrusive thought.

“You know, you have no real obligation to take me to Vah Medoh. If you do not wish to go, I would rather you didn’t. I can understand… how hard it is to return to these Divine Beasts. I, too, hesitated to return to Ruta.”

Revali watches her out of the corner of his eye, “How far did you get?”

“The top of her head. I have not gone inside, yet. I’m… not particularly sure I have a reason to do so. You haven’t returned to Medoh, have you?”

There’s a pause so long that Mipha suspects she won’t get an answer out of this one, but to her surprise, Revali finally admits, “No.”

“Please do not allow me to pressure you.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” he smirks, but it lacks its normal impact, “besides which, it’s about time I fly back up there. In fact… the last I remember of being there, was right before I blacked out.”

Mipha says nothing, but her eyes are uncharacteristically wide.

“I was brought down here by some other Rito,” he explains, answering a question she didn’t ask, “presumably some time after Ganon fell. The only point I remember after that was… waking up next to you.”

It’s a day she remembers well. One she will never forget for many, many reasons. 

“I was brought back to the domain by the princess,” Mipha murmurs, staring hard at the fire, “I was the first of all of us to be found. After they saw the state of me, I begged Link to go and find the rest of you. The princess carried me back home.”

At this, Revali emits a flat chuckle, “The princess carried you? What I would’ve given to be able to see that. In the ceremonial gown and everything?”

“She’s remarkably strong.”

“Colour me unsurprised. She was always rather tenacious, wasn’t she?”

Though it feels strange, making light of such a dire situation, Mipha almost feels as if she prefers it.

* * *

Revali had been right. The altitude Medoh flies at offers a harsh and bitter chill, boring through her skin, that she knows would be a damn sight worse if she didn’t have her new accessory to keep her warm. His feathers also provide a small amount of comfort, and as she clings to his back, she’s reminded of her first flight with him. 

It seems that whenever she’d found herself lost in a cold, foreign territory, he was the small source of warmth to keep her going. She ponders this thought as she presses her face into his back, awaiting the telltale tilt of landing on solid ground. Not that she doesn’t trust him to keep her safe, but she knows they’re flying a lot higher than last time. For the sake of her sanity, she decides to keep her eyes closed.

To think that, at one point, she’d been hesitant to fly with him, afraid of what could happen. Now, she’d happily entrust him with her life.

It takes a few minutes for Revali to reach Vah Medoh- he briefly circles overhead, observing the stretch of the Divine Beast with a frown before descending. He deftly lands on the edge of Medoh’s left wing, being as careful as he can so as not to disturb Mipha.

Mipha waits until she’s sure they’ve stopped before risking a small peek at the surroundings- her breath is suddenly yanked from her, and not because of the altitude.

She almost falls off Revali, scrambling to disembark so she can properly view the enormous expanse of horizon surrounding them. This is nothing like anything she’s ever seen before. Even when her leg momentarily gets caught on Revali’s belt, causing them both to topple over, her gaze is still firmly transfixed on the fading skyline.

It was incredible. She knows that she’s had this thought before, but this was different- to think that Revali had the opportunity to see a sight like this whenever he liked. He most definitely knew how lucky he was, too. Mipha had listened to his boasts, the way he claimed the sky for himself, and now that she’s seeing it with her own eyes, she can’t blame him. It was like standing on top of the entire world, and it was just the two of them.

It was almost like the kingdom was theirs.

“It’s… incredible, Revali!”

Mipha’s exclamation brings Revali right up next to her. The two of them stand side-by-side, observing the world, much in the same way they had on the mountain. Mipha can feel the breeze disturbing the newly-affixed feathers that adorn her jewellery, and every breath feels clean and clear.

It’s almost like swimming, she thinks. When the water is pleasantly bracing, giving her a jolt of energy that trails right up to the very tip of her fingers and toes, it’s much like being in the sky. There’s a certain sense of freedom she experiences when ascending a cascading waterfall or a winding river. She wonders if that is the kind of freedom Revali experiences whilst soaring through the air around them.

“I suspected you’d feel that way. I can only hope it’s everything you imagined,” he sounds a little bit stiff in comparison to what Mipha is used to, but she doesn’t think too deeply into it, responding chipperly.

“It’s everything and more! To think you spend your time up here looking down at the rest of us. We must look so small- like ants!”

“Much smaller than that,” Revali allows himself one quirk of the beak, primly folding his arms behind his back as he begins to pace along the edge of Medoh’s wing. Mipha is hesitant to get too close to the edge, fearing the unimaginable drop on the other side of it, but there’s more to see here than just the view.

She’s intrigued by the stone protrusions and pillars that sprout from the Divine Beast with seemingly no reason for it. The appearance of moss patches and greenery growing up here is also something of a surprise to her. There was nothing like that on Vah Ruta. Occasionally, her Divine Beast would end up covered in a mass of algae and aquatic plants from when they would surface from the deep waters of her home region, but that was the most of it. 

Mipha puts a finger to her chin, eyes swimming in thought as she inquires, “Do flowers grow up here at all? I didn’t expect any kind of greenery.”

“No- no flowers. Just moss. I suppose it is rather surprising. It started growing not long after Medoh was excavated.”

Revali stands a little way away from Mipha, staring off into the distance in the other direction as he speaks. However, out of the corner of his eye, he watches Mipha slowly stroll towards the pillars. 

He’s… not sure what to make of it, so far. 

He wants to follow her. He’d love to be standing right by her side, but the closer she gets to the control panel, the shorter his breaths feel. Now that he’s actually thinking about it, it’s beginning to exacerbate the thrumming of his heart, barely felt against the underside of his chest. He tries to swallow, but it’s thick and clammy. 

He has no real need to fear… right? The blight of Vah Medoh had been vanquished at a point in time that could now be considered quite a while ago. The activities of the Divine Beast had been nothing out of the ordinary so far. However, there was no telling what could spur a sudden change of allegiance.

Ignorant of his concerns, Mipha passes by the control unit, inspecting it briefly. It was pretty much the same as the one in Vah Ruta. The same one the blight had erupted from.

...the thought suddenly causes her to falter, feet frozen to the ground. 

When she thinks about it like  _ that,  _ it sounds a lot more sinister. She has no real negative association with this place, but when she really takes a moment to consider it, it feels a lot colder. Rational thought tells her she has nothing to worry about. The blights were gone. Nothing would hurt them up here.

Though she has her doubts, she allows herself a deep breath. This place is most likely a lot harder for Revali than it is for her. It’s imperative that she keeps a cool head for him. His face is plain as ever, so it’s hard to determine if he’s feeling the prickling of anxiety, but it wouldn’t hurt to keep her chin up for his sake.

As she thinks this, she confidently begins to stride away, only to soon grind to a halt.

The ground here feels different beneath her feet. She’s only a few metres from the control unit, and when she feels something odd on the underside of her foot, she looks down and almost screams.

How she keeps it inside is a mystery even to her. Her mouth drops open- uncharacteristically wide, for her- revealing a small row of sharp, glittering teeth and a cherry-coloured tongue. Her eyes bulge, the whites of her sclera practically engulfing the small, amber irises, and she almost tumbles over. Considering that she’s balancing on one foot, it’s quite a feat that she can remain upright.

The patch of floor beneath her foot is dry, but crusty. There are alarmingly large splodges of brown, mixed with an eerily familiar tint of red that Mipha knows well. The thick spots seem to flake off when stepped on, and she’s taken a little bit off of it with her foot alone, but the colour has dyed the material of the Divine Beast, soaking it red.

Her breath hitches for a moment, feeling an even stranger sensation tickling the soles of her feet. Without even really thinking about it, she knows what she’s stepped on.

It’d been frighteningly foreign at first, but now it’s frighteningly familiar. It was dry, a bit matted, but strangely soft in some places. She daren’t look down. She wants to take it off, but there are little glimmers of colour in her peripheral vision that only tell her this wasn’t the only one.

Feathers.

Navy feathers. Congealed and plastered to the floor, sticking up in odd angles. The more she looks, the more she sees, and how she didn’t spot this earlier is beyond her. Her gut drops somewhere to her knees, and she almost heaves. There was so much of it, just… splattered everywhere. 

The water inside Vah Ruta had managed to wash away most of the blood from her injuries. She doesn’t expect to find the scars of her battle anywhere within the confines of the Divine Beast, but this hadn’t occurred to her yet. Revali hadn’t been up here since the Calamity. He would’ve had no idea of the carnage that had been left behind. The stains of his loss against the blight of Vah Medoh.

She swallows, but it almost comes right back up. With trembling knees, she’s about to spin on her heel and demand Revali’s attention in order to divert it away from this grisly mess, but Hylia hadn't been kind to them in recent days, and it doesn't seem like she'd start now. To her horror, she’s met with his breastplate when she turns the other way.

She freezes, and so does he. She can barely bring herself to let her eyes wander from the bird emblazoned on his scarf all the way up to his face. 

Somehow, the colour of his feathers looked so dull. The white of his plumage no longer shone a stark, ivory colour. The blue was no longer vibrant, like she’d seen so many times before. It looked like thick, grey clouds overcasting muddy water.

She’s never seen his eyes so wide. His beak is bolted shut, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to open it any time soon. His eyes, normally a glittering emerald, are like pinpricks as they shakily take in the sight of dried blood caking the floor. That was his blood. Those were his feathers. 

There’s no immediate reaction here other than stunned silence. Mipha isn’t sure what to do with herself, now feeling guilty for bringing him up here. She had no idea Medoh would look such a state. With quaking hands, she reaches up to him.

“O-Oh… Revali, I… I’m so sorry.”

Mipha presses herself against him, snaking her arms around his waist and squeezing him. It’s all she can bring herself to do. His breastplate is like a slab of ice, applying an uncomfortably cold pressure against her cheek. She can actually feel his feathers prickling outwards under her fingers. They’re no longer soft. Mipha nearly recoils at the unexpected, spiky sensation, but remains there.

He’s eerily still.

“We should go,” Mipha tells him, but her voice comes out as a meagre croak. Despite her words, she doesn’t move. She wants to pull him away, but decides that she will move when he does.

But he’s cold. Those feathers that had been so warm are now like frosted leaves. The subtle contractions of his chest that reveals his heartbeat eludes her, no matter how desperately she searches for it.

The only thing that lets her know he’s still there are the tiny spatters of warmth that land on her head and dribble down her fins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year my dudes


	27. Fond Goodbye

“Well… this is it.”

The wooden gates of Rito Village are a sad sight for Mipha, who is now ready to head for home. At the moment it’s just her and Revali loitering there, as Trello has taken Sidon to say goodbye to his new friends. Still, she isn’t about to complain. It gives them more time to talk with privacy, away from the prying eyes of other people. Trello is not somebody she'd like to have around during an intimate conversation with Revali.

Revali still looks a little bit ruffled from what happened earlier. Mipha can just about make out the shape of Medoh in the sky from over Revali’s shoulder- she does her best to ignore it as she reaches out to him. Medoh doesn't need to weigh on her mind right now.

“I had the most wonderful time, Revali. You’ve been so kind to us. Thank you,” she says with true sincerity, hoping he will find some kind of comfort in her eyes. Even through the veil of exhaustion he’s become shrouded in, he smiles.

“It was a pleasure having you here, princess.”

Mipha falters for a moment, the smile on her face becoming shy, as she wonders if she should speak her mind. It’s something she’s pondered before now. She wrings her hands habitually, eyes darting back and forth, as she finally says, “You know… I did not come to visit you as the Zora Princess. I came to visit you as a dear friend. You are allowed to refer to me by name… if you would like to.”

Revali is well aware that there have been many moments in which he’s referred to her by name- ‘princess’ has become something of a nickname for her, in his eyes, but he’d definitely found himself hesitating when speaking to her like that. Not because of her status as royalty, but… because of something else. Something he hadn’t been able to pinpoint yet. Something he doesn't quite understand.

He emits a breath of amusement, “Then I shall do so,” he accepts, “I suppose it would be rude of me to refuse.”

Mipha’s smile is pleasant. Through the sharp sting of painful memories and memories of pain, it reminds him of all the little things in his life that come together to make it an incredible experience. It’s the faint, satisfying crackle of a small fire. It’s the tart tinge of wildberry jam on the tip of his tongue. It’s the softness of wooden flooring of a landing dampened by the rain. 

How she manages to do that, he doesn’t know.

However, there’s a slight crease to her eyes that belies her true emotion behind the smile. For a moment, she allows herself to show her concern.

“I… about Medoh,” she begins, “I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to--”

She stops and shivers when Revali outstretches a wing to barely place a feathered appendage over her lips, silencing her.

“Don’t even start with that. I know you enjoy beating yourself up about things that are out of your control,” (hypocritical of him, she thinks), “but I’m not upset about it. Sure, it was… a shock, but it was…” 

At this point, he really begins to mull over his choice of words. Mipha can’t help but feel that describing the incident as ‘a shock’ is a monumental understatement, but she neglects to say it aloud. Instead, she waits patiently for Revali to consider his options. He knows what he wants to say. He’s just unsure if he really wants to say it. 

On the other hand, he thinks he’s made enough of a colossal fool of himself to overshadow most of his future cockups for the time being, so he reckons he'll be fine.

“I don’t want to say it was  _ necessary _ , but… if you hadn’t requested to go there… I probably wouldn’t have ever done it myself. It’s unpleasant, without a doubt, but… I suppose it was easier… with you… there…”

The way he hesitates between every word is very telling to how much difficulty he’s finding in speaking. Mipha listens with wide eyes, a whole new slew of thoughts and feelings enveloping her mind. He wasn’t one for vulnerability, so this comes quite out of left field for her, bu t this is kind of what she’d been waiting for. Not the whole emotional collapse thing-- she’d much rather that could be prevented where possible. No, it was… a moment where Revali could choose to confide in her. To express a special kind of trust she’d been trying to incubate. She’d wanted more than anything to be able to feel reliable to someone. To be someone that he wouldn’t hesitate to fall back on.

She’d desperately tried with Link, but… to no real avail. She’d never needed him to open up to her, but seeing how he’d changed so much over time, and with no desire to express why, it had felt uneasy. She knows him well. She knows this is because of the pressure placed upon him as a hero, and yet… despite how much she’d loved him, and how good he’d been to her, it simply hadn’t happened.

She’s not bitter about it. Hylia, no, she could never be bitter about any of it. It’s not like their friendship had come to an end either. Maybe, one day, Link may choose to express what Mipha had always longed to know, but she’s not bothered about it. 

Thinking that… it’s the first time she realises that the dull ache of heartbreak has dissolved. The horrid twinge in her chest was gone, and the ache in her jaw that threatened tears was no more. It felt… honestly liberating. 

With a newfound energy, Mipha doesn’t hesitate to extend an arm up to gently thumb the feathers over Revali’s cheek. Surprisingly, he doesn’t back away, either. 

“I could say something similar. My experience with losing a love would’ve been so much more painful if you hadn’t been there by my side. If only to repay your kindness… I’d always do the same for you.”

Revali can barely bring himself to breathe. Her touch is unbelievably soft- softer than he’d come to expect, considering her scales. He can hardly believe he’s letting her do this, and right in front of the village too. Something is keeping his talons firmly rooted to the ground. He thinks if he didn’t know better, her healing magic had other effects.

There’s a familiar chill of disappointment when she finally pulls her hand away, but their proximity just about makes up for the lack of her touch. She’s stood with her face practically pressed against his breastplate, and because of earlier, he’s feeling this strange urge to just wrap his wings around her. 

He doesn’t do that, of course. He’s allowed himself enough moments of weakness for the time being, he thinks. Instead, he stands there, wings held rigidly by his side. However, there was something about her words that brings a crease to his brow.

That’s right- he’d almost forgotten about her journey to rid herself of heartache. Her lost love had given her much grief over the past few months, and… well, he’d tried. He’ll allow himself to say that much. He tried to give her sympathy in some places, advice in others- and of course, he’d invited her here. In doing so, he’d unintentionally created a witness to the facets of him he’d much rather keep hidden away.

“You always were too kind to people,” is all Revali can bring himself to say. 

Mipha titters quietly as an unexpected break in the conversation arises. He’s still reeling from her last statement. Normally, he would take grand promises like that with a grain of salt, but… not only did he actually  _ appreciate  _ such a sentiment coming from her (it’s exceedingly rare for him to accept such kindness from anybody), he’s also seen enough of her to know that she would never fall through on her words. He… trusts her. 

“Don’t let yourself continue to be hung up with him,” Revali decides to scoff, if only to stir up the conversation a little (he hated letting everything sit in sincerity, it was far too awkward), “Besides which, I hope you wouldn’t take this the wrong way if I told you that you deserve much better than him.” Of course, Revali wouldn’t hesitate to smear a bit of mud over Link’s name whenever the opportunity passes him by.

Mipha gazes up at him shyly, “Are you trying to tell me that I deserve better than the legendary hero himself? That’s… quite high praise.”

Revali clicks his tongue in irritation before he even has a chance to stop himself- just hearing Link being referred to with such a pompous title causes him to instinctively grimace. Between Link’s ridiculous shroud of grandeur and Zelda’s inability to say anything that wasn’t unbearably corny, he thinks they’re a match made in heaven. Mipha can’t be missing out on much. 

“I just mean to say that there are people out there who could make you far happier than he ever would. You just don’t know them yet,” his face kind of creases in on itself as he speaks- he’s not… he’s not cut out for giving romantic advice. Especially not to someone as gracious as Mipha. He has to physically restrain himself from cringing at his own words.

Mipha seemed to be all about that corny stuff, though. Her eyes sparkle, suggesting she’s hanging onto his every word. Her lips twist in a small, shy smile. 

“That’s a rather hopeful thought for you. I suppose that’s… quite a nice way to think about it.”

“As I said before, I prefer the term ‘realistic’,” comes Revali’s curt reply, with a complementary quirk of the brow, “but whatever tickles your feathers, I suppose.”

Though his words are just a tad condescending, there’s still a small expression of sincerity that plays at the corner of his beak, alongside a smile he’s doing his best to rein in. Mipha can only grace his response with a small giggle, which lingers in the air for perhaps a little too long.

There’s an awful lot left unsaid, but it’s not like she knows exactly what those things are. She feels as if she’s leaving something incomplete, but all the thoughts and feelings in her head are formless and hard to grasp. It’s like trying to pick up water. She knows it's there, she can feel it, but when she reaches out for it, it seems to utterly elude her.

The only comprehensive thought she’s able to hack together comes in the form of her desire to reach out and gently play with the hem of his scarf. Not for any particular reason, other than the fact that it’s there- and so is she. 

Wishing herself to reach out and… perhaps hold his wing is a little too forthright of a desire for her. At least, that’s what she tells herself- but that doesn’t stop her from lingering right in front of him, almost toe-to-toe. 

“I...you know,” Mipha begins, quietly, “I’ve had the most marvellous time here. Perhaps… if it is not an odd request at all… would you like to come and visit my home some time in the future? I-I mean, I know… I know you’ve been there before, but that was when you were gravely injured. Perhaps… we could… you know--”

Revali cuts her off with a laugh that’s small, but tightly compacted with mirth- so much so that she’s unsure how to accurately gauge this response. She eyes him anxiously.

“I suppose my first visit wasn’t so much a visit as an emergency house call,” his eyes glitter in a way that almost suggests the events of earlier had never darkened his mind, “It’s true, I didn’t see very much of the place whilst I was there. If that room is anything to go by, I’m sure your home is a lovely one.”

“And we also sell ice arrows.”

“And you also sell ice arrows, of course.”

There’s a pause after he says this. Mipha wrings her hands in a habitual manner, gently swaying from side to side as she inspects everything around her that isn’t Revali’s face.

...what now?

He doesn’t seem to have anything to say, nor does he seem hurried to end the conversation there. They just sort of… linger, which is odd, because Revali isn’t really a lingering kind of person- at least not where other people can see him. Their eyes dance around, but never settle.

Ironic, that they longed to see each other, and now they can barely look at one another. 

Mipha emits an odd giggle- it sounds a little bit strangled, and she regrets it the moment it escapes her throat. She puts a dainty hand to her lips, as if excusing herself for what just happened. At that moment, she flashes Revali a slightly weak look. How embarrassing.

Revali’s smile is borderline sly, but he, too, emits an odd laugh. One that tugs at the corners of his beak- it comes out like a mirthful hiss, as if he’s trying to stifle the noise with his tongue. It’s not the clear, haughty chuckle she’s used to seeing him perform. It seems awkwardly genuine in a way that Mipha is utterly fascinated by.

For a moment, the laughter bubbling in her throat dies, as she realises how much she longs to hear that laugh. How often she wishes to see that smile. 

How happy she would be to see his face day after day, for as long as she could. 

It suddenly jolts through her from the stomach outwards, spreading like a searing flame that makes her stomach feel so hot she thinks she’s about to double over and vomit onto the ground. The unexpected nausea forces a shaky breath out of her, as she stiffens up in an attempt to prevent herself from displaying the sensation on her face. Revali was quick- it would be easy for him to catch onto the subtle movements.

Luckily, the hand on her mouth manages to conceal the worst of it, and he hardly suspects a thing. She can’t help but feel like the anxiety is still evident in her eyes, but it was hardly uncommon for her to look concerned. Maybe he would shrug it off as normal behaviour on her part. Still, despite the nerves set on edge within her that she can almost physically  _ feel _ , she can’t help but feel utterly elated.

“Thank you… Revali,” she croaks, despite having said it before. However, this time, there is something far different about it. She longs to reach out and grab him, but she desperately hopes that if she looks into his eyes hard enough, he’ll do it for her. A cowardly action, sure, but if there’s anything she wants more than to reach out and hold him, it’s for him to reach out and hold her.

But she knows that waiting like this, waiting for the other person to make the first move, is one of her biggest regrets. If she had only reached out to him when she could’ve, would Link have been hers?

With a sharp breath, she allows herself to fall forward, snaking her arms beneath his wings and gently resting them around his waist. She could’ve easily misread this. She could very easily be making the mistake that shatters all the progress she’d worked so hard to make.

But it’s the thought of him leaving her behind, seeking solace in the company of someone else, that easily overshadows those anxieties. She’ll never know if she doesn’t try.

The hard metal of his breastplate is cool against her forehead- not as bitterly cold as it had been atop Vah Medoh. The feathers of her new accessory gently tickle her fins, providing an imperceptible glow of warmth that drips through her from the head down. She squeezes her eyes shut, hoping that everything may just stop here. 

She finds herself surprised when it doesn’t, and he wraps his wings ever so slightly around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yeah we have a revali/mipha server on discord come join us: https://discord.gg/kveHxZG9Dq


	28. Lovesick Fantasy

The journey back home is much heavier than the journey there. There’s a sort of lingering sorrow that puts a slight damper on Mipha’s spirits, but the slight sensation, the ghost of his wings around her, keeps her comfortably warm the whole way.

Sidon spends most of the journey dozing off on Trello’s back, having been thoroughly worn out by the excitement. He’d had a splendid time playing with the Rito children, who had made him promise to come back and see them again soon. He’d done so with a great beaming grin (and Mipha had absolutely no objections to returning to Rito Village, either).

The rivers that wind their way up towards their home are gently disturbed by the light spattering of rain, sending thin ripples edging across the water. With her head poking above the surface, the droplets she can feel running over her fins only serve as a sorry reminder of the barely-contained grief that had stained her forehead earlier that day. Though the sensation is still remarkably pleasant, it’s beginning to make the soles of her feet itch slightly. She submerges herself entirely and leads the way back home.

It’s not as cold as it had been on the mountain, but the feathered headpiece attached to her jewellery provides a pleasant warmth. She checks it’s still tightly tied when they climb out of the riverbank near the domain. Sidon, too, is still wearing the scarf given to him by Revali. However, it’s now sopping wet from the swim upstream and leaves a trail of water in Sidon’s wake. The once light, beige colour is now a deep tan, but Sidon seems very adamant to keep it on.

In fact, Mipha had hardly noticed he was still wearing it up until they were strolling back across the bridge towards home. She eyes him, quizzically, “Is that Revali’s scarf you’re still wearing?”

Sidon is still a little bit fatigued, having slept for most of the journey, but he has enough energy to muster a smile as his tiny hands grip onto the ripples of thick fabric, “Yes. It’s comfy!”

“I hope you said thank you when he gave it to you.”

“I did, I did!”

Sidon hums merrily to himself as he breaks away from the group to stride by himself up front. After a moment, he looks over his shoulder at Mipha, “I like Revali! He’s so cool! Are we gonna see him again soon?”

Mipha titters, “He is lovely, isn’t he? Yes, I’m sure we’ll see him again very soon.”

“Is he gonna come here next time? He can sleep in my bed!”

Though Sidon’s offer is very sweet, Mipha can’t imagine Revali would care too much to drench his feathers sleeping. However, she’s delighted by the thought of him coming to visit. He’d even alluded to doing so before she’d had to bid him farewell, and it’s a memory that keeps her heart thrumming against her chest. 

Sidon emits a happy noise, “When I finally learn to swim up the waterfalls, I’m gonna show him! He’s gonna be so impressed, right?!” He balls up his tiny fists, waving them around wildly. They’d barely even arrived home and Sidon was already excited for the next visit.

Mipha pats his head fondly, “Then you’ll have to get as much practice in as you can!” 

She can tell that Revali’s word had spurred something deep within her younger brother. He’d always been quite the go-getter- a little shy at times, but not one to back away from something new. Recently, she’d been teaching him how to ascend waterfalls.

It’s a feat most, if not every, Zora are capable of, and with the many waterfalls that litter their region of Hyrule, it's easier in the long run to learn how to than not. Of course, it takes a little bit of time to impart this wisdom to the younger Zora. Sidon isn’t the strongest swimmer yet, being far lighter than some of the currents surrounding their home, but he's definitely getting there. Hopefully, with some help, he might be able to get the hang of it in time for Revali’s next visit.

“Yeah! I can’t wait!”

* * *

“I see. The two of you sound like you had a good time, then.”

Dorephan’s voice echoes like a deep rumble through the throne room, as he patiently listens to Mipha’s retelling of their visit to Rito Village. Sidon is perched on one of his legs, and Mipha is sat beside them- a comfortable domestic moment for the small family. The sky outside is dark, and the room is alight with the soft, blue glow of the stone lamps.

“He said he was gonna come here now! He said that, didn’t he, Mi?”

“He did,” Mipha giggles, half at her brother’s enthusiasm and half at the idea of Revali actually turning up, “but it was a marvellous time. Rito Village is so much different from our home. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.”

“That it is, my dear. Though I find that our two races have certain distinctions, they’re not so different from us, in the end. It’ll be good for you to establish such a connection with them.”

Mipha takes real joy from those words. Sidon yawns loudly, shifting himself to get comfortable as his father pats his head gently. 

“Perhaps it’s time for you to retire for the night, young one.”

Sidon emits an incomprehensible mumble- he rubs his eyes for a moment, and Dorephan carefully lifts him from his knee and sets him down upon the floor. His eyes are evidently hazy with exhaustion, lacking their regular amber shine. Mipha pulls herself up from where she’s sitting.

Planting both hands on his cheeks, she leans him to give him a big kiss on the forehead. As he’s done many times before, Sidon squeezes his eyes shut as he allows his sister to bestow her nightly affections upon him. 

“Goodnight, Sidon. Sleep well.”

Sidon emits a low hum, rubbing his eyes roughly as he turns and plods away in the direction of his bed. Mipha watches him disappear into the dark gloom of outside with a fond look in her eyes.

“I suppose I must retire to bed soon as well,” she says quietly. Now that she’s taken a moment to stop and sit down, the toll of being on her feet for so long is becoming noticeable. The balls of her feet ache, and the backs of her knees feel taut and restricted. There’s a particularly tense muscle somewhere around her left shoulder blade which she’s keen to sleep off as soon as possible.

“You’ve had quite a long journey, my dear. I hope it was everything you’d expected it to be.”

Mipha isn’t sure what to think. In fact, she’s not even sure what she’d expected from it all, but there was no denying that she's happy. Even when the trip took a few turns for the worst, and several tears were shed, she feels as if they’d come out of it closer than before. However, she still has her doubts about whether it was the right way to go about it.

He’d seemed… content when she had left his village. Obviously he wasn’t one for sappy goodbyes, but there had been something tender about the way he’d stood there and watched her leave- he’d watched her all the way up until the last bridge, til he could see her figure no more. It was nothing like how they’d normally part ways. There was no harsh rush of wind that preceded his departure. No twang of laughter that rode the breeze all the way up to the sky. Not like she’d become used to.

But the lingering of his feathers against her scales, barely perceptible til it lasts too long, is something she can definitely get used to.

“My, that’s a new headpiece, isn't it?”

Mipha doesn’t realise she’s been staring aimlessly at the space that Sidon had once occupied until her father speaks. His smile is wide, creasing the sides of his face and the corners of his eyes, and Mipha tentatively reaches up to feel for the new accessory tied neatly to her crown. 

“Ah, yes. It was… a gift given to me by Revali.”

“The Rito Champion, eh? It’s rather becoming on you.”

Mipha emits a fizzy little laugh, “It’s quite nice isn’t it? It has rubies on it to help combat colder temperatures. I think it will come in handy when I return to the mountains, don’t you?”

“So you plan to return?”

Is that what she’d said? Mipha finds herself surprised, but a faint tinge of rose plays at her cheeks, “Ah...yes. I… think I shall like to return there-- to maintain a good relationship with the Rito! After all, I’ll be following your footsteps one day…” she trails off, deciding that that had been a perfect response. Of course, it was a bold-faced lie, considering she knew damn well what her motivations for returning were, but he doesn't need to know that. At least, that’s what she thinks, anyway. For now, he'll have to live with her admittedly quick and well-thought up fib, one she is only slightly proud of concocting at such short notice. 

Dorephan's expression is unreadable.

“Whatever happened to the armour you made?”

The noise Mipha emits is reminiscent of the noise that lizard on Eventide had made when she’d stepped on it. It sounds like a duck trying to quack with a throat full of phlegm, and she silently, desperately wishes she hadn’t made her surprise so obvious.

She hasn’t looked at the armour for a long time now. In fact, it had actually slipped her mind for the most part, and though her deep affections for Link brings her much less pain, the armour itself poses its own problem. A garment glimmering with the scales of her own body, molded in the shape of his. The thought of having to recraft it is… sorrowful.

“You’re still young, my dear,” Dorephan smiles, but it’s a bit sombre, “I cannot imagine you should need to give it away so soon. That armour is a part of you. It’s a piece of you for somebody to keep.”

Mipha stands rigidly still, but her gaze slowly falls to the floor. He wasn’t wrong at all. Giving a gift of your scales was the most important thing you could do. How she had longed to give her own scales to Link. Even as a Hylian, he would understand the significance of such a gesture- after all, it was practically a proposal. A promise. Yet, somehow, she’d managed to make a promise for the both of them on her own. Perhaps that’s what made it feel so bitter.

She’d had to say it, but she’d almost felt betrayed. Of course, logic dictates that this is through no fault of Link’s, but the side of her that gave in to unreasonable emotion had felt the cold gnawing of disappointment- as if she’d expected something of him that he’d failed to deliver. She’d never tell him that, though. She’d never tell anybody that. 

“I think I shall retire to bed now father. Goodnight.”

Though he can be as powerful and as intimidating as harsh, crashing waves, the face he wears for his daughter is softer than sea-soaked sand. 

“Pleasant dreams, my dear.”

Just as Sidon had done earlier, Mipha slowly ambles out of the room and into the dimly lit open space of the domain. The trembling water that envelops the soles of her feet is a small comfort against the bitter drop in temperature- it’s no cold she can’t handle, but she was beginning to feel a distinct lack of humidity tonight that makes itself known by crawling over her skin.

She does plan on going to sleep, but… not before taking a short detour first.

Away from the comforts of her bed, Mipha has a small room to herself (and Sidon) that acts as simply a small space for them to do things. Sidon tends to prefer running around than sitting in a room and crafting, but Mipha suspects he’ll find more use for it as he grows. For Mipha, however, it had been the room she’d used during her hours upon hours of creating the armour.

Walking in there feels… foreign, almost. It’s a portion of her life that was in the past now. A memory that was hard to cherish- one that would be easier if it were forgotten instead. Every step is colder than the last, until she’s standing in front of the armour, laid out neatly upon the workbench. 

The scales glisten like pearls under the slant of moonlight that manages to stream into the room. They join like the links on chainmail, all neatly fastened together- though the scales look rigid on their own, the armour is quite flexible on the body.

She wants to laugh, remembering how she’d measured him. Of course, she hadn’t wanted to give him any allusions to what her plan was. She’d felt out the size of him through moments of close proximity and comparing him to the lengths of her arms when he hadn’t been paying attention. If he knew that now, he might find it quite funny. It would be funny, if it didn't feel so depressing now.

She’ll have to take most of it apart. The bigger sections she could probably keep and use to recraft into a different shape- the metals she might even have to ditch entirely, depending on the shape and size of its future wearer. Whoever that may turn out to be, she does not know.

For a moment, she wonders about dismantling it now. After all, its sole purpose at the moment was as a harbinger of bittersweet memories. If she took it apart now, perhaps it would be for the best. It would be the final step to finish up the journey of moving on, however it stings more than she’d like. Sure, she could say with confidence that she’d pressed on and left it behind, but this armour was still a memento of the time she’d spent in love with Link. Did she really want to break it like that?

Perhaps she could make a new one…

She emits a deep breath, feeling the muscles along her shoulders relax as she does so. She’ll leave it for now. As her father had said, she was still young. The lifespan of a Zora was longer than most- she thinks it might be wiser to save love for her later life. Especially if her love would come from outside of the domain. 

Link had grown far quicker than she had. It’s not something that bothers her- it’s… an accepted fact of life. She knows she will outlive Link, but the time she will have spent knowing him will outweigh the time she will inevitably spend without him- or with anyone, for that matter. Such was the way of life for the Zora. 

Soon, Mipha will take the throne. The crown will be passed from her father to her, and she will rule over her domain alongside Zelda and the next two generations after her. Though she’s used to it, there’s something very bitter about knowing that she will one day attend Zelda’s funeral, just as she had attended Rhoam's. The Champions that she knows and respects will have long since passed by the time Mipha reaches her autumn years.

She shakily turns and leaves the room before the thought can continue, forcing her to realise what kind of life she will have to live in the future, because any love she may find outside of the domain will come and go like seasons. Love buds like the spring, but she knows she will always be left behind in the bitter cold of the winter.


	29. Eye of the Hurricane

The next few days are bizarre ones indeed for Revali.

For the first time in a long time there was nothing for him to do. There was nothing upcoming that required his attention, nor anything to look forward to. Preparing for the Calamity had taken up an incredible amount of his time in recent months. Then, after the battle had been won, the funeral of the king had been the next big event- then it had been Zelda’s coronation, and then Mipha’s visit…

...but now that she was gone, he had time to do absolutely nothing. Sure, he could occupy his time with training, but it felt so needless without the looming threat of the Calamity. That was, without a doubt, the biggest threat they would ever need to face for the next thousand millennia, or however long it took for Ganon to rear its ugly head again. 

Of course, he’d argue that his skills had clearly not been polished enough for that fight, seeing as he’d almost lost his life at the hands of the monster that had infected Vah Medoh. He could also argue that this was the perfect motivation to get back into training- he’d obviously not been good enough! What more proof did he need? 

But the problem is that the fight is over. Why even bother honing the skill further when he’d never have the same chance to use it again? It’s not like he could get revenge, no matter how much he wants to. He’s permanently fated to accept his loss. 

In a desperate attempt to not have to think about it, he skulks around the village for a while. Quite a sight to see, too. He’s not much of a skulker. He didn’t do lurking. He was either there or he wasn’t. Sure, he liked to keep his distance whenever possible, but if he had no reason to be there, then he wasn’t. That’s why spending so much needless time in the village feels just plain strange, and the other Rito are surprised to see more of him around too. The Flight Range had taken up so much of his time that his appearances in the village during the daytime had become incredibly infrequent.

Over the course of two days, he’d helped stock up products at the Slippery Falcon, allowed himself to be measured at the Brazen Beak-- he’d even escorted a group of eager fledgelings down to Warbler’s Nest, simply because he hadn’t anything better to do at the time. 

Little Tilli had spotted him and Mipha together, back when she was in the village, and had taken the opportunity to talk incessantly at him about the new friend she’d made out of Sidon. He’d only been able to nod politely, letting the little girl chatter on. It seems Sidon had made quite the impact during his stay, and Tilli had made Revali promise to bring him back to play soon. Revali had assured her that Sidon would love nothing more than to do exactly that.

Tilli’s mother, Ula, proprietress of the Swallow’s Roost, had also taken a moment to have a natter about Mipha, to which he’d desperately tried to wriggle out of. However, Ula isn’t one to be told ‘no’. A bold warrior he may be, but that means nothing to the boisterous ladies of Rito Village.

“She was such a nice girl! Incredible to think she’s a Champion like you are- she’s so small! I hope you were looking after her.” There’s a nagging bite to her tone towards the end of that, where she momentarily stops to wag a finger in Revali’s face. Revali rolls his eyes, as ever he does, but neglects to mention that, truthfully, Mipha might’ve been looking after him more than he was her. Not a chance he’d tell anybody that, though. Ruin the illusion of a powerful and incorrigible Champion? Absolutely not. 

“She can look after herself, you know,” he says, and correctly too, “She doesn’t need me to babysit her. Small she may be, but she’s perfectly capable on her own,” he finishes, rather matter-of-factly. Ula pauses for a moment, before conceding with a shrug.

“Well, that’s understandable. I suppose the two of you have that in common, don’t you?”

“What’s  _ that  _ supposed to mean?”

Ula laughs, “You haven’t grown an inch since you were seventeen! I would’ve thought you’d try and squeeze a little more height out- how old are you now?”

“Oh, you--!! Ugh. You’re worse than your husband, you know that?”

As she twirls around gracefully to head back into the inn, she flashes Revali a winning smile normally reserved only for her customers, “Me and Wrett, we’re a match made in heaven!”

“I’ll weep if Tilli turns out to be anything like either of you.”

“No need to be jealous, Revali,” she winks, “I’m sure you’ll find your special someone sooner or later! I mean, that Zora princess sure did seem very fond of you. No harm in starting there, right?”

That’s enough to draw a grating squawk from Revali’s beak. Ula laughs her way back into the inn, leaving Revali to recover from her devastating words, and he hadn’t made himself look good with a reaction like that either. If the way his feathers prickled was anything to go by, people might assume she’d hit a little too close to home. Of course, that assumption would be entirely wrong.

She could spout such nonsense sometimes. Of course Mipha was fond of him. Mipha was fond of everybody! You’d have to seriously mess up for Mipha not to like you. However, it’s enough for him to begin to worry. Had Mipha said anything to her during her stay? Ula could chat the ears off of all of her customers, but she learns an awful lot- she seems to be creating a rather large rumour mill of her own here in the village. What if Mipha’s stay had concocted some of these rumours? Her visit definitely wouldn’t have gone unnoticed- she was a princess! Gossip like that would spread through the village like hives.

Those thoughts repeat themselves in his head as he stalks back up through the village and towards his own hut. He’s not sure what direction he’s trying to run in, but his mind always hits the same wall, and that wall comes in the form of a dainty Zora princess.

Watching her walk away had been… definitely something. 

In fact, that entire day had been something. He still outwardly cringes whenever he has to think about that night at the Flight Range. Letting his guard down like that-- just what did he think was going to happen? He’d always suspected Mipha would manage to squeeze something out of him. She was remarkably convincing, and for a moment, he’d just wanted to know what it was like to reach out and--

...he doesn’t finish the thought, because, midway through it, he realises he can’t. He’d wanted to reach out to her, but that’s all he knows. Bizarre to think that he could barely pinpoint his own emotional desires. What exactly was the outcome he wanted from all of this? He can’t even begin to hazard a guess, and yet Mipha seemed to do it all right. She managed to elicit all of these things from him that felt good. He wants to be surprised, but he can’t be. It’s Mipha. He should’ve known this from the start.

Perhaps, for the longest time, he’d thought he’d be impervious to her gentle touch. Yet somehow, she’d managed to flawlessly worm her way into his heart and arms. 

As he heads through the doorway to his home, he’s suddenly stopped by an enormous shadow cast over him. It seems to brighten the light shining around it, creating a strong outline that slowly begins to morph over the wood he’s standing on. It takes him a moment to realise the shadow is merely passing by. He looks up, expecting to see the familiar shape of Vah Medoh blotting out the sun. The light is so harsh that the Divine Beast looks pitch black from where he’s standing.

It’s a weird thing to have to look at now. It’s like seeing an old ex or a friend you’ve fallen out with. Almost pleasantly familiar and yet depressing to see. It’s not like he has to really pilot it anymore-- all it’s set to do is fly over the village until somebody tells it to stop. He really should land it at some point soon, but a lot of the villagers quite liked their newfound guardian. Made them feel safer, they say, though the threat of the Calamity is long gone now. Revali can’t blame them. That had been Medoh’s sole purpose- to protect the village. What a shame that everybody seemed to feel that way but him.

He imagines what Mipha must’ve done when returning to Vah Ruta. He can almost see it vividly in his head- Mipha sitting atop the stone elephant's head on a breezy morning, gently patting the curved surface, yet with a slight knock to her knees. Her anxiety would betray her usual calm demeanour, as he’s seen time and time again. 

He’d never admit it to her, but he wishes he could’ve been there. After all, it was only fair. She’d accompanied him to Medoh, she’d seen the way he’d cracked, and she’d been nice enough to remain quiet and let him have his moment. She was considerate like that. It’s what makes him suspect that she might actually… know him. She actually might have an idea of what he wants without him having to tell her, and that in itself is comforting (though perhaps slightly frightening).

He stands and watches Vah Medoh for an indiscriminate amount of time before turning on his heel and marching past the hut. After a set of stairs and the clicking of talons upon one of Rito Village’s many flight decks, it only takes him a second to disappear within the endless blue of the sky above.

He used to time himself.

Back when he flew up to Medoh on the regular, he’d time himself. He’d count to see how quickly he could get there, and whether or not he could beat his previous time. He can’t bring himself to keep track of the numbers this time around, and he realises there’s no score to beat, since he hadn’t counted last time. It’d been only slightly distracting, carrying Mipha on his back. 

Without her there it felt an awful lot colder. There was no face pressed into the back of his neck, or a tiny body to awkwardly scramble off of him after landing. There was no shield between him and the Divine Beast. It was just him. 

The wind bristling against his feathers feels like papercuts. Though it doesn’t hurt, the sensation is slight enough to provide a space for his imagination to run wild. His feathers are clean, but he swears he could almost feel a familiar sensation of blood trickling between them. He knew this would happen. 

He can say with true certainty that there was no danger upon this Divine Beast. He reminds himself of this over and over, with every tentative step he takes towards the main control unit. His brazen blue scarf whips wildly over his shoulder, emblazoned with a notable mark of Vah Medoh’s likeness. He realises he’s having to steady his tail feathers- they’re twitching rather erratically- but now that his attention is on that, his stomach is beginning to churn horribly. He sighs, but it doesn’t quell the rising nausea. It just makes him feel dizzy.

He’ll have to clean the blood up sooner or later, but only if the rain doesn’t get to it first. The season has been a dry one. Some of the blood has already been rubbed away from Vah Medoh’s stony surface, but there’s enough lingering splatters leftover that are far too noticeable for his liking. Not that anybody would really come up here, but… he doesn’t want to risk it being seen by anyone else. 

Standing at the edge of where he’d almost met his demise at the hands of the Calamity, Revali… does not know what to do.

He’s not even sure what he came here for. He’s baffled- the calling to fly here was so strong, especially after all that had happened, but as the events of that day continue to darken his mind, tinging his psyche with a horrid shade of misery, he feels himself sinking. There was nowhere else he could be but here. He could scoff at the madness of it all. 

What in the world would make him want to come back? Though his stomach is on edge, there’s a bitter comfort about it all. It’s almost as if he needs to be here.

He swallows thickly and sits down. His legs are beginning to tremble in a way he doesn’t much like, and he’s not all too sure how much time he’ll end up spending here. 

He thinks of Mipha.

An odd place to start for a train of thought that will inevitably crash and result in an enormous pile of flaming mental wreckage, but he needs somewhere to start. Everybody needs somewhere to start. He starts with Mipha because it’s become comfortable territory. It’s like dipping a toe in the water, so to speak. 

He’s never dared himself to ponder how she may be coping, and this is for several reasons. Firstly, he doesn’t really enjoy thinking about Mipha in distress. He’s not a sadist. He doesn’t particularly get off on the emotional pain of others-- sure, he pokes and prods them, irritates them because that’s how he is (and that’s the only reason  _ he  _ can think of), but there’s nothing remotely pleasant about it. Mipha, facing her doom at the hands of the blight of Vah Ruta? Not very high up on his list of things to think about, but there it is.

The other reason is actually quite the opposite. He’s not sure what’s more depressing- the idea of Mipha struggling to cope with the aftermath of almost meeting an early fate, or the idea of her breezing through it like it’s nothing. He knows she’s resilient, but he’s not sure  _ how  _ resilient. She’d almost broken into pieces over his body before- he knows she has the capacity for it. Yet… when he’d met her, she seemed fairly alright. Not that he’d expected her to burst into floods of tears every other moment (or had he?).

However she was handling it, she seemed to be handling it better than he was. 

He has no idea what kind of state she’d ended up in- he could barely remember what happened that day past a certain point. She’d been on his mind up until he’d cracked his head against the floor, having received a near-fatal shot through the side. After that, it’d been just odd blurs and fever dreams that didn’t make sense. He’d be devastated if Mipha had come out in a state like he did.

The thought of being able to fly in there, to swoop in and save her- carry her away to safety, and maybe be just a little bit of a hero to her, is one that brings him just a smidge of joy. The knowledge that he could never even save himself will always hang over that dream like an awful shadow, but it never hurts to imagine what it could’ve been like. It’s what she deserves, after all. A true hero. A real hero.

At this point, his thoughts begin to divide a little. He can’t quite keep himself on one track, alternating between them, but they’re all infinitely depressing. Does he think about Link, and how he seems to have elevated himself to a height that, no matter how much he refines his gale, Revali just cannot reach? Does he think about Mipha, who, whether swept away by Link, or by the heights of her own achievements, will inevitably leave him behind? Does he even think about the aching of his skull, the crippling pain that ripples through his abdomen and the tatters of his wings that had taken weeks to heal? His eyes linger on the splatters of blood before him, now a deep brown hue.

His stomach has settled since earlier. It’s not like he enjoys thinking about it, but he thinks he’s danced around it enough. If Mipha hadn’t asked to come up here, it would’ve been a long time before he would’ve returned. Out of sight, out of mind, or so they say, but the twisted visual of that hideous blight has been plaguing him since the Calamity. Every other thought is an icy shock to the system, and he wonders how he’ll ever shake the nightmare free. 

Though, when Mipha was here, he found himself far less bothered by it. In fact, it had managed to slip his mind more often than not. However, with her presence, came the presence of another problem entirely. He thinks the subject of his struggles with strength and self-worth can be chucked onto the back burner for now. He’ll probably trip over that hurdle again when he sees her next. He’s not sure what it is about her that seems to draw out that particular foible. Maybe he’s beginning to realise how much stronger she is than him- he feels like less and less of the Champion he’s supposed to be when she’s around, and that’s a thought that jolts him more than the blight. 

The sky around him grows gloomy and dark, but there’s no tears to shed. Maybe another day, but not today. 


End file.
